Spying is the Loneliest Profession
by Cadet Deming
Summary: In the aftermath of the movie, Black Widow and Hawkeye try to heal from their psychological scars, while Loki forms a team of his own to fight the Avengers. A Love-Hate triangle between Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff, and Loki. Suspense/Romance/Comedy/Action/Angst COMPLETED
1. Chapter 1

Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 1

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence.

Spying had to be the loneliest profession in the world, Natasha thought. Hell, serial killers on death row were less lonely. They at least got fan mail from women who knew what monsters they were and loved them despite that knowledge, or perhaps because of it.

No one truly knew who a spy was, even the spy herself. Natasha hid the monster at her core under whatever disguise of the moment was required. Her survival depended on her ability to erase her true identity.

Hiding was going to be a problem, now that her face had been plastered across every news station and cell phone for her part in the Avengers. She hadn't been thinking of the ramifications in the heat of the moment. She had been in job mode, focused on literally saving the Earth. The career suicide of suddenly becoming the most famous spy in the world was starting to creep into her brain.

Creep into her brain, the way Loki had.

Clint Barton poked his head through the hotel suite's bathroom door: "Do you want anything from room service, Nat?"

He smiled, but it was forced, like he was trying to pretend to be happier and calmer than she could sense he felt. She knew Clint so intimately he couldn't hide his true mood from her.

Natasha remembered all the missions where she had gone undercover as a room service attendant to gain access to assassinate her marks. How so many men had opened the door to her expecting filet mignon, champagne or hotel-quality coffee and feasted on death at her hands instead.

She said: "I don't trust room service."

"You don't trust anyone, not even Fury."

"I trust you."

His eyes darkened. "Except for the whole me trying to kill you while possessed by an egotistical God wannabe bent on world domination."

"I didn't know Tony Stark used mind-control on you," she deadpanned.

She joked because she was afraid to have the conversation they needed to have.

Clint sighed: "Speaking of Tony…I need a drink."

He turned his back to her, and picked the lock on the hotel mini-fridge. He didn't even need to break into it as they had a key and were recuperating on SHIELD's dime, but she assumed he was either rebelling or sliding back to his shady past.

They both had so much blood on their hands it must be permanently caked under their fingernails. Clint always took long showers for a warrior, but after he was freed from Loki's influence they grew even longer. Water couldn't wash away guilt.

A bead of sweat travelled down his firmly muscled back. He was taking too long to turn around and face her.

Natasha said: "I know you don't want to talk about…what happened. But you need to, or it'll eat you alive."

Clint sat on the bed beside her, the bedspread pooling around his solid weight: "Was I really even alive then? Because I can't remember it. How come Doctor Selvig could remember when he was under the spell but I can't?"

"Dr. Selvig has an IQ of 167 according to SHIELD files."

"Oh great. I can't remember because I'm just dumb muscle. Just dumb muscle with a great aim."

"You're more than that. You have a great heart. It sets you apart."

"A heart is just another muscle. Besides, who wants an assassin with heart?"

She took his hand and placed it over her own heart. "I do. I want him right now."

They kissed with a combination of passion and soothing familiarity.

Clint pulled back from her. "I remember something now. Loki said I had heart."

"Stop thinking about Loki. He can't hurt either one of us anymore."

"Are you sure?"

Asgard

Loki stewed in silence in the depths of his latest prison. It was quiet because he couldn't even speak, as Thor had literally muzzled him. The leather straps chafed at his skin.

The solitary confinement reminded him of when he fell through the wormhole. Physically, it may only have taken hours, but mentally, it lasted an eternity. An eternity of nothingness, with no one to talk to. He had no audience.

Loki had always craved an audience, the validation of the crowd to mirror back his own ego. On Asgard his brother Thor had always hogged the adulation for himself. Loki was the smarter of the two, but the other gods worshipped brawn over brains, blond lightness over his darker hair and personality, brashness over cunning.

Trapped in the portal between galaxies with only his memories and thoughts for company, his resentment and lust for power magnified. Getting revenge against Thor became his obsession. Thor's new comrades called themselves: "The Avengers." Loki wanted to teach them what vengeance truly felt like.

A door creaked in the distance. Loki sat up, straining to hear the footsteps of an approaching Asgardian. He smiled through his muzzle. He finally had an audience.

To be continued.


	2. Chapter 2

Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 2

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so much for reviewing. This chapter is more Loki-centric and has some call-backs to the Thor movie, but I'll get back to Natasha and Clint.

**Asgard**

Loki coiled in anticipation of the approaching Asgardian. Would it be Thor, bound by his never ending sense of brotherly responsibility? Perhaps it was his adopted mother, and he could play to her sympathies to intervene on his behalf. He dreaded seeing his adopted father Odin again. Even Loki didn't feel prepared to look in his eyes and see disappointment and rage.

The light flooded into the corridor, and a shadow appeared. The shadow reflected a tall man with battle horns on his head. Loki held his breath in dread.

The man stepped into view. It was Volstagg, one of Thor's friends. Hairy, overgrown, never met a meal he didn't like Volstagg.

"Hail thee, Loki. How are you?"

Loki pointed to the muzzle on his mouth. He tried to mime gestures to get Volstagg to remove it, but the man was oblivious.

"I bring thee news of your fate. You are to be spread-eagled in public. They will tie your face to a tree. They will then rip your rib cage bones out one by one, to represent the wings of a bird. You will be exposed to the elements and the wolves. Every evening you will be fed the apples of immortality so you can heal. Then they shall start the punishment anew each morning. Heimdall volunteered to do the honors."

Loki groaned through his leather strips. He pulled at the mask again, but Volstagg didn't react.

"I will be leaving you. Have a good evening."

Loki shook his head in the universal "No" movement. He pointed to his stomach and then his mouth.

"What's that, eh? Food. They haven't given you any food? Aye, the cruelty of Asgardian justice! I shall bring you a meal."

Volstagg left and returned with a tray of wild boar and fruit. He opened the cell door, never taking his eyes off Loki.

"You be careful, trickster. I'm going to take your mask off so you can feed, but if you try anything I will strike you down."

Loki shrugged with his most innocent: "Who, little old me?" expression. Volstagg undid the laces and Loki tasted fresh air. He calculated all of the ways he could escape, weighing them against Volstagg's strength and speed.

"Thank you…my brother," Loki said.

Volstagg sniffed. "I've heard how you treat your so-called brothers. I'm surprised you aren't being sentenced to permanent death over your betrayals."

"You wound me." Loki eyed a shard of bone in his meal. "You can't believe every rumor you hear."

"You wound the reputation of Asgard abroad. Without honor, the gods are nothing."

Loki tore around the piece of bone, breaking it with his teeth. "Good thing I'm not a God. I'm a Frost Giant."

Loki changed his skin to show his true blue color. As Volstagg stared in shock, he stabbed him in the stomach with his shard of bone. Volstagg tried to scream, but Loki shoved one of the apples of immortality in his mouth.

"It's alright Volstagg. You'll heal in the morning."

He hit him on the head, knocking him unconscious. Loki tied the muzzle on over the apple. Volstagg looked like a stuffed pig with it.

Loki cast an illusion spell to make Volstagg look like himself. This would buy him time, but how much?

He cast another spell to become invisible. He rushed out of the dungeon. Even invisible, he didn't feel safe anywhere on Asgard.

Loki crept through the streets, listening for his name.

The other Asgardians murmured among themselves: "_Did you hear what Loki did….Spreadeagled at Sunset…I heard he was really a Frost Giant…I heard he was a Troll…He tried to take over Midgard_…Loki…Loki…Loki."

Loki couldn't tell if it was paranoia or if he was truly the talk of the realm. He wanted attention, but not this kind.

He came to the edges of town. He recognized the house. It was one of infamy, where men only came in the dark. There was no one nearby, unless they were invisible as well. There was no sound of footsteps, so he continued on.

He opened the door. Asgardians didn't lock their doors the way Midgardians, or at least Americans did.

Loki walked into the living area. Books of spells filled the shelves. The scent of incense permeated the room, commingled with rust. Except it wasn't rust, but blood.

Every painting was a portrait of the house's sole occupant. Loki wasn't the only Asgardian with a large ego.

He padded into the bedroom. She was facing away from him, sitting at a desk. Her long blonde locks curled down her back.

He crept towards her.

She spun around with a sword in hand, pointing it at his waist.

"Show yourself. I can hear your breathing."

Loki melted into view: "Hello, Amora the Enchantress. That's no way to greet an old friend."

She lowered her sword: "People like us don't have any friends."

"Tis true. But we can still form strategic alliances."

"Is that what you're here for?" she asked, cocking her eyebrow.

Her gaze drifted to the bed. It was covered in dark green silks and fluffy pillows.

"Actually no, although that would be nice again. I need your help to get out of Asgard."

"And, why would I stick my neck out for you? I heard you're being burned alive for treason. I do like you. You remind me of me, but you're asking me to risk too much."

"Technically I'm being spread-eagled for trying to take over Midgard and trying to kill Thor, but what difference does it make?"

He saw her frown when he mentioned "Thor."

Loki licked his lips. He forgot how natural the movement was after being muzzled for so long.

Loki asked: "How are things going between you and Thor since my departure? Has he turned you down again? It must wound your pride, to be rebuffed over and over again by the man you want the most. Is he still pursuing Sif?"

She sneered and started brushing her hair. "Funny, I believe Sif turned you down as well. Even when you were king."

"Well, I was only king here for a few days. Give me time."

"I'm sure Sif would welcome you now as a half-breed troll traitor."

"I'm full-blooded Frost Giant of royal blood, you racist."

"I am not racist. I have friends that are frost giants!"

"I thought you didn't have any friends. Just men who come to you at night while their wives are asleep and abandon you before dawn. No wonder you're over 25,000 years old and still unmarried. No wonder Thor doesn't want you, the town whore! "

"Keep talking to me with that tongue of yours and I'll turn you in to Heimdall myself!"

Loki paused, recalculating his approach. He had a harder time keeping his emotions in check lately.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so alone right now. I've always been an outsider here, and I thought you could understand that. We both are. And by mortal Earth standards, you're not a whore, you're just...liberated."

She sighed. "Yes, Earth girls. What is it about them that is so appealing? Thor isn't hung up about Sif anymore. He's in love with that mortal wench, Jane Foster. I think that's the real reason he returned to Earth."

Loki thought about Midgardian women. He wasn't impressed with the lot of them, other than the one on the Avengers. Natasha Romanoff had managed to outsmart him, something no other mortal woman could do. She was beautiful too, with red hair and full lips. She was sensual in a way that Asgardian women weren't.

When Loki had used the Tessaract to take over Clint Barton's mind, he gained all of his memories. Every time he used it on a mortal, he felt closer to them. It was like he understood them more intuitively than he ever knew other Asgardians. It didn't make him more empathetic towards them. He still viewed them as inferiors. But the knowledge gained made him feel increasingly more comfortable with them.

Loki said: "Because Earth women have a certain chemistry to them."

He thought back to Clint's memories of Natasha, of the first time he made love to her. Memories of being in love, even if it was from another man's point of view, made the sex more powerful, more consuming, more…

"You're drooling," Amora said.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's a reflex. They had me gagged for so long. Can you please transport me back to Midgard? You're the only one powerful enough besides my fath..besides Odin."

"You never told me what's in it for me."

Loki leaned forward. "I'll split Earth with you when I rule it. You can undermine Thor back here and pay him back for rejecting you. I'll work on his comrades on Earth. Divide and conquer."

Amora smiled. She gave him her hand in agreement. "Divide and conquer. What is it on Earth that you want so badly?"

Loki grinned, thinking of Natasha.

**To be continued.**

**Author's Notes: Spreadeagling was an actual form of Viking punishment. Amora the Enchantress is a character from Thor comics that teamed up with Loki multiple times. **


	3. Chapter 3

Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 3

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Please read and review. I hope I didn't turn people off by being so Asgard-centric in the last chapter.

**Earth**

Natasha woke up feeling restless, like there was something to make her nervous but she couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was.

The clock read 4:07 AM. She had to pause to remember what time zone they were in. They were in the hotel in Broxton, Oklahoma, so her body was still a few hours ahead. She spent more time in hotel rooms than sleeping in her own bed.

Clint wasn't awake yet. His face was so peaceful. She slid out from under the bedspread, trying not to disturb him. She was good at being silent when she needed to be.

She changed into workout clothes and locked the bedroom door behind her, leaving a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the handle to preserve Clint's rest.

The hallway was empty. Natasha usually enjoyed being out and about before the break of dawn. It was her favorite time of day. The darkness gave her privacy and cover, and most night owls were already asleep by now.

She felt alone in the world, but questioned if she liked that. She was used to being a lone wolf on her missions, checking in with just a handler, or over the past few years, Clint as her sole contact. The Avengers had forced her to work as part of a team, which took the burden of sole responsibility off of her.

Natasha travelled in silence to the hotel's exercise room. She was used to businessmen or women working out at odd hours, but the room was dead.

She walked over the polished wood floor and faced the entrance out of instinct. Leaving her back to an entryway could be the death of her.

She craved the feel of ballet slippers, but instead took her shoes and socks off. When she was a little girl, her dream was to grow up and become a ballerina. No little girl grows up wanting to be an assassin, but the Russian government had made that decision for her.

Natasha placed her feet in a plié position and raised her arms, breathing deeply. When she was forced to train in espionage, they told her to just pretend she was dancing. Fighting is like dancing. In a way it was.

She closed her eyes and exhaled, pretending she was in the Bolshoi Ballet.

She opened them. In the mirror she saw her reflection, but behind her she saw Loki. She leapt into a roundhouse kick, but the floor was empty. Was she losing her mind?

Natasha spun around clenching her hands in a defensive posture and cursing herself for coming to the gym unarmed. Again she saw no one.

A powerful hand covered her mouth, while the other trapped her arms.

Loki hissed in her ear: "Scream and I'll murder whoever comes through the door."

She kicked backwards into him, trying to flip him over, but he was too strong. She was used to fighting human beings, not super powered gods.

He said: "Stop struggling or I'll break your neck."

She stopped, calculating her odds of getting out of this alive. _Don't show fear. Don't show fear. Don't show fear._

Loki asked: "Are we ice?"

Natasha frowned and made a confused sound.

Loki moved his hand to her neck. "Are we ice? It's a mortal expression."

Natasha said: "I think you mean: "Are we cool? That's the American expression. But don't worry; I had trouble with picking up slang too."

She assessed Loki was trying to be theatrical, and failing at it.

"Bah," he said. "Midgardians and their odd ways."

"Because Asgardians who wear horns on their heads are so normal."

He tightened his grip on her neck. "Normalcy is mediocrity."

"Do you want something, or are you just here to be melodramatic?"

"Do you want to die?"

"Do you? Why else did you come back to Earth?"

Loki ran his fingers through her hair. His nails were painted black. It suited him.

He said: "Your little reverse interrogation techniques won't work on me a second time."

She bit her lip, trying to get him to talk to fill in the void. "What do you want from me?"

"From you? From you? I don't want anything from you specifically. You're the weakest of the Avengers. You don't have enhanced strength. You're not Asgardian. You don't have wealth or a mechanical rocket-suit. You're not the world's greatest marksman like your lover Barton. You're a woman. You're the runt of the Avengers litter."

She wondered if he knew Clint was in the hotel with her. He must know they were there together. She hoped he couldn't feel her heartbeat accelerate.

She remained stoic. "Yes, I'm so insignificant you came all the way out to Broxton, Oklahoma to give me playground insults."

"Oh, I just came for the food."

"Because you like to play with your food before you kill it. Do you plan on picking the Avengers off one by one, and I seemed like the easiest target?"

"Silly girl. I already killed Barton. I did it…five minutes ago in Earth time."

Natasha felt her heart break, as she was overcome with the urge to break every bone in Loki's body. She stepped against his body weight and threw him over her head. She ran for the door, but his hands grabbed at her ankles and pulled her towards him. She struggled to turn around, but he pinned her to the floor, his knee pressed into her back.

"Just kill me and get it over with."

"Why? Because you can't live without your love? How romantic. It's pathetic."

"I'm not a romantic. I'm a killer. All of the Avengers are killers. And they'll come for you. And I think I know why you're really here. You're jealous. You say you detest love, but that's because you're jealous that no woman loves you. You called me a runt, but compared to the other gods, you're the weakest and littlest. You say Midgardians are odd, yet you come back here because we're the only species you can pretend to be superior to."

Loki spun her around. She braced for a death blow, refusing to show him any fear. He just smiled, with a crazed look in his eyes.

Loki cocked his head to the side:"You're correct. About almost everything. I do plan to eliminate your team one by one, but I'll do it in a way that will cause the most humiliation and damage to everyone. And I'll save Barton for one of the last. I lied about killing him. I just wanted to see the look on your face. I'll make you fall in love with me first, and make sure he realizes it."

"That will never happen!"

"Oh, but it will. I'm going to wipe your mind of this conversation, until after it happens. And it will happen, I promise."

She swore at him in Russian, and everything blacked out for her.

**To be continued.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 4**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so much to the people that read and review. It motivates me to update quickly-)

**Hotel Room, Broxton, OK**

The shrill chirping of a ringtone woke Clint Barton. He reached for his phone, but Natasha grabbed her own IPhone.

Director Nick Fury materialized on its screen. "Natasha, I hope you're well-rested, because the vacation's over. You too, Barton."

Clint gave Fury a mock salute over Natasha's shoulder.

She asked: "What's the mission?"

Fury responded: "It's more of a promotion."

Natasha and Clint exchanged a look with each other.

Fury said: "I'm promoting you to Agent Phil Coulson's old job. It seems SHIELD needs someone with a more physical skill set to survive, and I'm gonna be stuck testifying before Congress about the invasion till God knows when. I need someone I can trust."

Natasha said: "Are you making me a suit?"

Fury said: "Well, unless you get major plastic surgery, it's gonna be a lot harder for you to go undercover."

Clint asked: "What about me?"

"I'm keeping you as my top sniper. I'll send you out as the need arises."

Clint asked: "So does that mean you're splitting Nat and me up?"

"It depends on the mission. Job before romance. I thought you were both professionals."

Clint thought Fury was being a manipulative bastard again.

Natasha sighed: "Where do you need me?"

"New York for now. I think you'll like it. It's a pay grade increase, and Stark has offered season tickets to Lincoln Center. He has a private box for the New York City Ballet."

"When do I start?" she asked.

"Yesterday. And you're welcome."

Fury's face disappeared.

Clint looked at Natasha, trying to read if she was happy or sad. He was having mixed feelings himself. He was happy that his girlfriend was moving up in the world, but anxious about the thought of them being separated. Over the years no matter what country he was sent to, Natasha was the only constant on his missions.

"Uh…congratulations," he said.

"Thank you, I think."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm getting promoted over Phil's dead body. And I've done field work for so long, pretending to be someone else, it's going to be strange just being Agent Natasha Romanoff instead of the Black Widow."

Clint put his arm around her shoulders. Her arms were firm from the training they had to do, but her skin was always soft.

He waited for her to say something about not wanting to be apart from him. It was like holding his breath for a woman to say "I love you" first.

He said: "You're great at everything you do."

She met his eyes. "Are you jealous I got a promotion and you didn't?"

"What? No. If I was the jealous type, we wouldn't have lasted as long as we did, especially in this line of work."

She tilted her head at him. He knew she was gathering information.

She put her hand on his cheek. "That's what I love about you. You're adaptable. And we've been separated before. We'll just have to do the long-distance thing more often now. Snipers are good at long-distance."

"Nat, you're the only thing I don't want to be long-distance from."

She embraced him and they kissed. He squeezed her harder than normal, angry with the knowledge that she would be taken away from him soon.

Clint was oblivious that they were being observed. Cloaked in invisibility, Loki watched them tangle between the sheets. He was the jealous type.

**Santa Fe, New Mexico**

Loki altered his appearance to look like a well-dressed human in a tailored Hugo Boss suit. In reality he always wore his green battle regalia under his illusions, but he felt the effects of the temperature no matter how much or how little clothing he pretended to wear. Thor's ability to control weather was just one more thing he envied.

The dry heat of the air around him made him uncomfortable. It was so unlike the pleasing coolness of Asgard.

He knocked on the door of Dr. Karla Sofen.

She replied: "Come in. Loki Laufeyson, I presume."

Loki had only recently stopped using the last name of "Odinson." It didn't feel "right' anymore.

He shook Dr. Sofen's hand. Her grip was cold. She wore a cream suit with a lace camisole underneath. Her cleavage seemed a little too ample for a doctor to be showing.

He saw her catching him staring at her chest so he deflected with: "Nice necklace."

"Thank you" she said, fingering the grey-green gems on her jewelry. "They're moonstones."

Loki looked at the diplomas on the wall: A Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from U.C.L.A., a Doctorate from Johns Hopkins Medical School, and Board Certification in Forensic Psychology.

"How can I help you?" she asked.

"Are you familiar with Dr. Bruce Banner?"

"The man who turns into the Hulk? Who isn't familiar with him? He destroyed New York twice."

"The first time was only Harlem, and I wouldn't give him all of the credit for the second time."

"Oh yes, the alien invasion that the government is on trial for in the court of public opinion."

"I don't have a high opinion of the public opinion. Some decisions are best left to a higher power, like me."

She frowned. "You have a God Complex."

Loki clasped his hand together and leaned forward. "My dear, you have no idea."

"I'm a psychiatrist. It's my job to know what's in people's minds."

"Precisely why I want to hire you. I want you to have Banner declared criminally insane."

"I'd have to be appointed by the court for that."

"You will be. Let's just say Dr. Banner is going to have a little accident and become a danger to himself and others."

"What the hell was he doing before? And how do you know this?"

"I have my ways."

Dr. Sofen leaned towards him, mirroring his stance. "You're asking me to do something highly illegal."

"You and I both know that wouldn't be the first time. Why did so many of your patients commit suicide Karla, under your skilled care? Because you talked them into it, for the thrill and the power to prove you could. I admire that, for a mere mortal. But your secret is safe with me, so long as we have an understanding."

She fiddled nervously with her necklace.

"Who are you," she asked.

Loki transformed into his battle horned visage. "I'm the future."

He pushed an envelope filled with cash to her. She accepted it.

Loki grinned. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you. You must excuse me now. I have a ballet to catch."

He left her office and closed the door.

With his extra sharp hearing, he heard her mutter: "What a narcisstic asshole."

**To be continued. **

**Author's Note: Dr. Karla Sofen/Moonstone is a character from the Marvel Universe. Before the studio decided on having her play Black Widow, Scarlett Johanssen had discussed possibly playing her in the movies.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 5**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Please read and review. It motivates me to update quickly-)

**Lincoln Center, New York City**

Natasha's scalp itched from the black wig she wore. She was trying to be incognito with the crowd at the David H. Koch Theater. She'd altered her features with makeup by toning down her lips and adding a fake, Marilyn Monroe style birthmark. Her dress was crafted from tight ebony Lycra.

Clint wore sunglasses indoors in an attempt to blend in as well. His normally confident military trained posture was slumped over from the humiliation of being dragged to a ballet.

"How long until intermission?" he asked.

"The show hasn't even started yet."

"I'm bored already."

"Do you know how many people would kill for these seats? We're in a private skybox. It's your natural element."

Clint leaned over the railings. "Couldn't Stark get us tickets to the Super bowl instead?"

"He probably owns his own stadium somewhere. I'm sure he can."

"If I have to sit through the ballet, you have to sit with me through a football game."

"Fine," she sighed. "Is this what they meant by relationships being about compromise?"

"I guess. Do they have real food here? Or just caviar and champagne?"

"They have $20.00 hot dogs and $12.00 bottled water."

"I miss military rations. I'll be back. Do you want anything?"

"I'm fine," she said.

Clint left the private box. Natasha read her program for "Giselle." It was one of her favorite dances.

The lights dimmed and the warning bell for people to reach their seats chimed. Clint still wasn't back yet. A flicker of paranoia made her wonder if he was in trouble, or just intentionally stalling to avoid the show. She decided to relax. Knowing him, he was probably just staying away from the dance.

Natasha listened to the soothing sounds of the orchestra strings. She smiled and watched the dancers take the stage.

A cold hand gripped her wrist and a familiar voice whispered: "Don't draw attention to us, or people will die."

Loki appeared in Clint's seat. She immediately thought of her options. Her bracelet held a hidden gun, but his hold kept her from using it. As an Asgardian, conventional weapons were useless against him anyhow.

Natasha said: "If you kill anyone, the Avengers will stop you."

"I'm not here to hurt you."

"I don't believe you."

"If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead already."

Natasha scanned the area, taking in all the oblivious patrons ignorant of the danger in their midst. "Point taken. What's your game?"

"Chess, with a little Battleship on the side. What's yours?"

She stared at him. He was dressed impeccably in a black suit. A Burberry scarf was tossed over his neck. She was surprised a Nordic god even knew what Burberry was, unless he was watching and visiting Earth far more than SHIELD had realized.

His black hair was slicked back, which showed the cuts of his bone structure. His blue eyes looked her up and down.

"You look better with red hair," he whispered. "Red suits you more than you realize. Not that you aren't exquisite as always."

She was too experienced to fall for flattery, but it still felt like silk against her ears.

"I'm not here alone," she said.

"You're too beautiful to be alone for long, but you'll always end up alone when it really counts."

She studied him, trying to figure out what he was up to. The uplifting music from the orchestra clashed with her sense of dread.

She asked: "The Chitauri have all abandoned you, haven't they?"

"I'm open to forming new alliances. Politics can make for the strangest bedfellows. It's funny how enemies can become friends, family can become enemies, and love can become hate. Things change so often the only thing that lasts forever is chaos."

"So you're here to bring…chaos."

"I'm here to propose a deal. I'm thinking of turning myself in to SHIELD, in exchange for asylum from my brother, and anything else…not of your Earth. You see, I was just a pawn in what happened. I was as much enslaved by the Tesseract and the Chitaurians as anyone. I wasn't acting like myself. I'm not a cruel man. I just went a bit mad, and I want to atone for it. If you'll let me."

He peered at her through his eyelashes.

She remembered all of the horrible threats he made to her, and all of the viciousness he had shown her team. She didn't believe a word he was saying, but sensed he was afraid of something.

She asked: "So why come to me?"

"Because I like you."

She definitely didn't trust him, but she couldn't let him escape.

She said: "I'll take you in to Fury."

"Not on our first date. Take my proposal to him, but leave Thor out of the decision. I'll come to you in time," he said.

The thought that he could appear anytime and anywhere made her feel off balance.

She reached for him, but he blew her a kiss and disappeared.

Clint staggered in to the box. "Is the ballet over with yet?

**To be continued**.


	6. Chapter 6

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 6**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you for the people who read and review. It motivates me to update quickly-)

**SHIELD Helicarrier**

_Scrape…scrape…scrape._

Clint sharpened the blade on one of his arrowheads. He'd been sharpening the same arrowhead for the past 15 minutes as Natasha debriefed Director Fury on her run in with Loki.

_Scrape…scrape…scrape._

Fury ran his hand over his goatee. "I don't like the part about him wanting to leave Thor out of it. I think he's trying to put a wedge through the team."

Clint said: "That's the part you don't like? This freak of nature goes after my girl…our best agent and…"

Fury told him: "If you wouldn't have left your goddamn post, it wouldn't have happened."

Natasha interjected: "It wasn't his fault. We were both off-duty at the time so technically there wasn't a post to leave. We thought Loki was contained on Asgard."

Fury yelled at both of them: "You are always on duty! Twenty-four-seven, three hundred and sixty-five f%$# ing hours a day. You eat, breathe, sleep, and think about nothing but stopping this mother#&r!"

Natasha said: "If he's offering to turn himself in that may not be so difficult, assuming it's not a trick. The last time he was here was because he wanted to be, so he could send Banner after us. He acted superior. When he spoke to me this time, he seemed scared of something."

Fury paced around the room. "Four-thousand, seven hundred people died in the attack on New York. The public wants to see someone hang for it. The World Security Council wants Loki's head. I already got my ass chewed out for letting Thor take him back to Asgard. And now this."

Clint frowned. No matter what Fury decided, it didn't change the fact that Loki was interested in Natasha. Nothing about that didn't disturb him on some level.

Clint said: "How about we lure him in, and I put an arrow through his eye? Screw asylum."

Fury said: "Because he's immortal."

Clint said: "So I'll shoot him more than once."

Natasha said: "Whatever we do with him, whether this is a trick or not, I'm still the lure. What do you want me to do?"

Clint started to wonder if she was just being professional or if she actually wanted to see Loki again.

Fury put his hands behind his head. Clint went back to sharpening his blade. What else could he do?

Fury said: "It's an opportunity we can't pass up. I'll send you out in public, something to tempt him with. You'll always have a SHIELD presence nearby of course."

Clint winced when he said "tempt." He knew it was part of her job as an agent to be provocative. It had never bothered him before when she had orders to seduce some Russian gangster or Middle Eastern Prince. He was never threatened by men like that. There was something about Loki wanting her that felt different.

Clint said: "I won't take my eyes off of her."

Fury said: "I don't know if that's the best idea."

Clint said: "Just let me prove myself. The ballet wasn't like me. You know that Nick. I…"

Fury cut him off: "This ain't about proving shit."

Natasha said: "Everything will be fine. I've done this dozens of times before. What about Thor?"

Fury sighed. "I wanna wait and see what intelligence Thor shares with us first. For now, nobody let him know anything about this."

Clint said: "So we treat our agents like bait and lie to our teammates."

Fury said: "I'm getting tired of your attitude Barton."

Clint muttered: "I'm sorry, sir."

Natasha said: "Where in public do you want me to be?"

The phone rang and Fury answered it. "What the….oh when it rains it pours. I'll send my people out."

Natasha asked: "What now."

Fury said: "It's Banner. He's on a rampage in Santa Fe."

Clint said: "I thought he had it under control."

Fury said: "Nothing is under control these days."

**Santa Fe, SHIELD Facility**

Loki walked cloaked in invisibility through the scrambling agents and military personnel. The discord washed over him like perfume to a normal human. FBI clashed with local police. The Army was arguing over jurisdiction with SHIELD.

Loki smirked from ear to ear. He remembered why he'd missed Midgard.

The roar of "LEAVE HULK ALONE!" caused everyone to turn their heads in fear.

Loki resented all of the Avengers, but he'd developed a special grudge against the Hulk. It didn't take much for Loki to develop a grudge, but the beast had beaten and humiliated him.

He spotted Clint Barton in the distance. Another one he had a grudge against.

Loki followed him. Without the Tesseract he couldn't read minds anymore, but he could still influence people, and he remembered Clint's darkest fears and secrets.

Clint was wearing his sleeveless uniform. His bow was tucked under his thick right arm. His quiver was filled with arrows that contained liquid. Tranquilizers for Banner's giant green alter ego, no doubt.

Loki whispered: "What if you miss? There's only one thing you're really any good at. With all these people watching you, all the pressure, what if you tremble or sneeze?"

Natasha walked by. Instead of her military cat suit, she was dressed in black pinstripes and had a badge on. There was a bulge under her jacket in the outline of a gun.

Loki realized he had never seen her in anything but black. Just because she was code-named "Black Widow" didn't mean she had to dress like it. He wondered if she was mourning for anyone.

Clint waved to her and she gave him a curt smile before turning her back on him to speak with a man with the tag "General Ross." Clint's broad shoulders slumped.

Loki whisper-hissed: "Did she just brush you off? Is there a rift growing between you? She's moving up in the world and you're getting left behind. She's too good for you and you know it. You can't protect her. You can't offer her anything. You're just a dull hick from Iowa."

Loki had to swerve to avoid people bumping in to him. He was invisible, but not intangible.

He told Clint: "You're going to fail at everything. The more you struggle, the worse you'll make things. No one will love you for who you really are in the dark. You'll never be good enough for your father. They'll always love your brother more. You'll always be overshadowed by him. You try to hide behind charm and wit, but people will see through it for the lying, scheming, coward that you are. You'll never get the girl. You'll never get the respect you crave. The Chitaurians laugh at you. The Asgardians are embarrassed by you. The Midgardians hate you. You're just a bastard, abandoned, runt Frost Giant!"

Clint turned around and stared right at Loki. Loki froze, realizing he was cracking. Clint frowned. Could he see him? Did his outburst interfere with his own magic?

Loki stopped breathing. Clint looked like he was staring at a ghost. He held up his bow and arrow and aimed over Loki's shoulder.

Loki turned around to see the Hulk looming over them.

"HULK SMASH!"

Loki leapt for cover.

To be continued.

**Author's Note: Yep, Loki's crazy-)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 7**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you for the people who read and review. It motivates me to update quickly-)

Thanks Auroris! I remember you from my X-Men writing days-)

**Santa Fe**

Agent Coulson made his job look so easy: wrangle superheroes, talk to four star generals and politicians, and stay calm and polite no matter how many egos were at stake. Natasha was learning that being polite was more difficult than it seemed.

Dr. Bruce Banner was strapped down to a stretcher. He was back in his human form. Bruce's mouth was slack, and his eyes looked glassy from the sedatives he had been shot with.

He turned his head to look at her. "Natasha, is that you?"

She walked to him and clutched his trussed-up hand. "I'm here Bruce."

His brown eyed gaze sharpened and trembled. Guilt leaked from them, along with a few tears.

He said: "It happened again didn't it? I'm so sorry, I thought I had it kicked. Did I hurt anybody? This can't keep happening to me. WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME!"

His skin started to turn green, and his fingers swelled in her grip. Bulges of flesh grew under the blanket the covered him. His expression twisted from guilt to primal rage.

"_Please don't Hulk out again. Please don't Hulk out again,"_ raced through her brain.

She shouted: "Medics! He needs more sedatives right now!"

Medical personnel swarmed around him like ants drawn to spilled sugar. One of them jammed a syringe through his sternum. Bruce gasped and bucked against his restraints, and then fell backwards.

Bruce warbled: "Why does it have to be needles? I don't like needles. I like pills better. One pill makes you larger…and one pill makes you small. And the pills that mother gives you, don't do anything at all. I hate my father."

Clint muttered beside her: "How come no one ever gives me drugs like that?"

His left arm was in a sling. She was grateful he wasn't killed, but for a marksman's arm to be out of commission was career death.

She asked: "Do you want his condition?"

"Hell no," he said, pointing to the sling. "But I don't want this one either."

Natasha gently touched his shoulder and tried to cheer him up: "Your shot was the one that stopped him, and you're alive. You know what they say about: 'Any landing you can walk away from is a good one.' At least your eyes are unharmed."

Clint winced and looked around. He said: "General Ross at ten o'clock."

Natasha spotted him. It was time to fill Phil's shoes. She strode towards Ross.

He was chomping on a cigar and frowning at her. "The Hulk is coming with me."

His voice was a gruff baritone. She smelled scotch on his breath, mixed with the smoke from his cigar. His eyes were bloodshot and had dark circles underneath.

Natasha stood tall: "I'm afraid not. Dr. Banner is an Avengers team member."

She emphasized the words "Doctor" and "Banner" to humanize him.

Ross asked. "And who do the Avengers answer to? You're not even part of the real military. He's a criminal and should be treated as such."

"Funny, I could say the same thing about the Abomination Emil Blonsky, and you had him declared a war hero."

General Ross turned red. Blonsky was a soldier exposed to gamma rays and warped Super Soldier Serum that had mutated into a monster similar to Hulk. He was the one arguably responsible for the destruction of Harlem.

Ross said: "The court expert declared him no longer a threat, and now you SHIELD bureaucrats have him under lock and key."

"We're keeping the public safe."

"You're not doing a very good job of it."

She tried to think of what Phil would say. Keeping her demeanor calm and pseudo-friendly, she said: "Would you like to tell The Hulk to his face you want to keep him away from his new found home? That might make him…very angry."

She was bluffing in the hopes that Ross wouldn't see Bruce in his delirious state. The embers at the end of Ross's cigar flickered as he inhaled sharply.

He sputtered: "I don't know about that. I've got a plane to catch. You can take him with you today, but I will put up a fight in court."

"So will SHIELD."

She watched as he briskly walked away, barking orders at various infantry.

Natasha said to Clint: "Let's wrap things up here. And get the number for the court-ordered psychiatrist who declared Blonsky safe. What's her name? Dr. Karla Sonner…Softer…Sofen. If she can make a case for a psychopath like Blonsky, Bruce should be an easy sell."

She felt a chill behind her back. Natasha turned, but there was nobody there.

**Dr. Karla Sofen's Office**

Loki limped to Doctor Karla Sofen of M.D.'s door. When the Hulk was vanquished he had narrowly escaped being crushed, but his left foot wasn't so lucky. As an Asgardian he had super strength and durability, but the monster was so strong and heavy even he was temporarily hurt. He would heal faster than a mortal and it was worth it to get Barton harmed and the Hulk locked away.

Karla rose to greet him. She wore a tight grey suit with an even lower cut camisole than before. Her demeanor was warmer than he remembered, but it seemed false, like when Loki himself was trying to charm someone while scheming against them.

"Loki, you pulled it off! Banner is all over the news."

"I just made a few mind control pushes. The strings you pulled to get his medication switched out helped things along. The prescription isn't traceable back to you, is it?"

"Of course not," she said. "I've done this before."

Loki smirked: "To siphon off drugs for yourself."

Karla's expression turned steely. "Is there anything you don't know about me?"

Loki smiled mischievously. He enjoyed the tension.

She asked: "Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

He was starving. The sooner he ate, the faster he could heal.

He said: "I'll take everything you have. Asgardians have faster metabolisms than Midgardians."

"It must be nice to eat anything. I have to eat bird food to stay toned. Is the word Midgardian going to turn out to be some racist swipe against humans?"

"Well, it depends on the context of how it's used."

"I take that to be a yes."

Karla bent over a small refrigerator. The blast of cool air when she opened its door soothed him. He wondered if his preference for the cold actually came from his Frost Giant parentage. The thought was distasteful.

She handed him a cardboard container of Chinese leftovers and he tore into it. His leg felt better already.

She sipped from a cup of coffee. Her wary blue eyes never left his face, as if she was studying him.

He asked her: "Does my presence make you uncomfortable? Do you feel afraid being around a god?"

She swallowed. "Of course not. I've always been fascinated by charismatic men."

Loki raised his voice: "Then you're either lying or a fool, and I don't believe you're a fool! Don't lie to the God of Lies, mortal!"

He flung the carton to the floor for emphasis.

Karla stared at him for a few moments before responding: "I'm sorry. I'm trained in dealing with dangerous psychotics and criminals. I've looked into the eyes of men who killed their entire families without a shred of guilt. I've interviewed cannibals, defended serial killers and seen the truth of the darkest corners humanity has crawled to. But after meeting you? Honey, you're in a class all by yourself. I've never met anyone as powerful as you. I admit I feel off balance. But let me remind you before you get all threatening again that you need me alive to get Banner put away forever. Mortal is a racist slur, isn't it?"

He smiled. "Mortal is the Asgardian 'F Word'. It's very racist. But just because you're inferior doesn't mean I don't like some of your kind."

She frowned when he said "inferior." He put his hand under her chin to see if she'd flinch or pull back. She didn't.

He asked: "Do you think I'm a dangerous psychotic?"

"In my objective professional opinion: yes."

"I'm not mad! I'm perfectly clear! It's the rest of this forsaken realm that hasn't caught up to my genius yet!"

Loki laughed hysterically, and then realized how crazed he sounded. "I'm not helping my case, am I?"

"Nope. I'd love to analyze you, though. To be able to understand the mind of an actual god, you're like the Holy Grail of my profession. I think I can help you."

"You? Help me?" he scoffed.

Part of him didn't trust her, but part of him liked the idea of having an audience again.

He said: "Maybe in due time. For now, tell me what you know about the Abomination."

Karla's grin matched his own.

To be continued.


	8. Chapter 8

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 8**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so much for the people who read and review. It motivates me to update quickly-) Thanks Auroris-)

**SHIELD Helicarrier**

Clint Barton followed Director Fury across one of the landing strips of the Helicarrier. Fury's leather coat whipped in the wind. The drafts swept through the sling covering Clint's sprained arm and chilled him.

Clint said: "I can still aim with a gun. Or I could get a crossbow. You don't have to take me off of active detail."

Fury said: "My decision stands. I can't have an injured agent out in the field."

Clint gritted his teeth in frustration. He was feeling increasingly useless.

An alarm rang out, hurting Clint's ears. He saw a dark object rushing towards them in the sky. Everyone aimed their guns towards it. It was coming in far too fast for them to scramble any planes.

A mechanical voice chimed: "Asgardian entity approaching from the starboard side!"

Fury asked: "Is it Loki?"

Clint's heart dropped into his chest, but then he saw flashes of silver and blonde hair.

"Nope," he said. "It's our guy. If it was Loki we'd be dead already."

Fury took out his walkie-talkie and barked: "Hold your fire! I repeat hold your fire!"

Thor landed in front of them, managing to look graceful yet absurdly powerful. He clutched his giant hammer in one hand.

Thor said: "Hail Nicholas Fury, and my brother in arms Clint Barton."

Thor hugged Clint in a gesture of camaraderie, but he was so strong he wrenched Clint's bad arm.

Clint said: "Hail…hurting me…hurting me…hurting me."

Thor pulled back: "My apologies. I forget my own dominance against Midgardians. Your bravery belies your lack of strength."

Thor's presence was one more reminder of Clint's weakness compared to the Norse gods. Before "Superhumans" became known to the world, he was at the top of his field. Now he felt outclassed and increasingly not needed.

Clint said: "It's OK. Good to see you."

Agents and personnel swarmed around Thor as if he was a rock star. He appeared to lap it up, smiling and waving. Clint was pushed to the side of the crowd.

Clint had never been much of a social animal growing up. He was never the extroverted, popular kid in the center of things. He was more of the outsider, who saw everything but was never really a part of anything.

He had learned that Loki's motivation for attacking Thor was out of lifelong envy. Seeing Thor's charisma in action, he could understand where that came from. Not that he identified with Loki.

Thor said: "I miss your company, but I am afraid I bear bad tidings. Loki has escaped from his Asgardian prison. I promised he would receive justice, and take responsibility for my failure. But rest assured he will be reclaimed."

Fury flashed Barton a warning look to keep quiet and said: "I am very disappointed. Any ideas where he may be?"

"He was last seen stealing items from my father's treasure."

Fury asked: "Did he get the Tesseract?"

Thor looked perplexed. "Strangely enough, no. He left behind many items I thought would be of value to him. He didn't even touch the Casket of Ancient Winters."

Clint asked: "What exactly did he take?"

Fury flashed him another warning look, but asked Thor: "Has it occurred to you that maybe the robbery was a distraction? Like maybe Loki wants to throw you off his scent."

Realization crossed Thor's face. "I had my suspicions when he left the Tesseract behind. We are searching throughout Asgard for him, to no avail. If he should surface in your realm, please notify me immediately."

Clint tried to keep a straight face.

Fury said: "If he shows up on the news, I'm sure you'll hear about it. How exactly do you get your information about Earth?"

"Heimdall can see all," Thor said.

Fury asked: "Is Heimdall an advanced computer program? Because if you could share your intelligence with SHIELD, I'm sure we could…"

Thor frowned and said: "I offer protection of your realm. However I will not let our gifts fall into your hands to be abused again. It takes great dark magic for my father to send me here. I give you fair warning of my brother's threat."

Fury said: "Thank you."

Thor nodded his head, held his hammer aloft, and rocketed off into the sky.

Fury said to Clint: "He's a great fighter, but not too gifted in the brains department."

Clint said: "He's smart enough not to trust you."

Fury grimaced at Clint: "Watch that attitude Barton."

"Sorry. We should have gathered more Intel on what Loki stole."

Fury looked thoughtful. "I didn't want to tip my hand yet. It might not even have been Loki."

**Asgard, Home of Amora the Enchantress**

Loki screamed at Amora: "Did you bother to take anything of value! This is what happens when I send a witch to do a man's job."

Amora said: "Don't you dare talk to me like that. I've been doing you a favor by making people think you're still sliming your way through Asgard. You don't control me. I grabbed what I liked."

"Like pretty baubles instead of weapons?"

"Look through it yourself," she kicked at the burlap sack.

Loki kneeled on the floor and started to rip items out. He was so short by Asgardian standards that Amora was normally the same height he was, but on the floor she towered over him.

He thought about how low he had fallen. Once hailed as a prince and surrounded by riches, he was now reduced to a fugitive in his own land, bargaining with outcasts like Amora and shadowing mere mortals.

Loki pulled out necklaces, earrings, bracelets and brooches. Most were crafted from flashy diamonds or emeralds. He felt some heavier items in the back.

Loki recited the inventory: "Maltese Falcon…Gem of Amarra...Holy Grail...Rambaldi Device…unobtanium. All of this is useless."

He was relieved she hadn't picked up the Tesseract after all. It was more trouble than it was worth. Plus if he had it, it would make him even more of a target for Thanos and the Chitaurians.

He put his head in his hands in despair. "All is lost."

Amora said: "Oh, you're being melodramatic…again. I've spread dissent that Thor wants to abandon Asgard for Earth, but he's also under pressure to look for you here. He's damned if he stays and damned if he leaves."

"And what do the people say about me?"

"Aside from being a common thief, they're calling you the 'God of Evil' now."

Loki slumped. "Evil? All I've done, I've done for the greater good."

Amora sat down next to him. "All you've done, you've done for yourself. Everything people do is for their own self-interest. And anyone who says differently is lying to themselves."

Loki let her words wash over him. Should he just embrace being "evil?"

He clutched a necklace and held it up to the light. "Hold on, what's this? The center stone here. Do you know what it is?"

Amora fingered it. "Looks like a Kree Moonstone. I just grabbed it because it was pretty. Asgardians can't use the Kree technology anyhow."

Loki smiled: "Asgardians can't, but maybe Midgardians can. And I know just who to give it to."

To be continued.

**Author's note: I'm on the fence about how intelligent to make Thor. Some writers make him a bimbo, others make him smarter.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 9**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so much for the people who read and review. It motivates me to update quickly.

**Santa Fe, New Mexico**

Natasha had learned to survive on her instincts. When technology failed, when other people's disguises cloaked their true intentions, even when she simply didn't have all of the needed information, her sixth sense had saved her life more times than she could count. That same instinct told her Loki was nearby.

Two SHIELD agents were stationed outside of Dr. Sofen's door, as Natasha spoke with the psychiatrist. She wanted her conversation to be off the record, but she needed backup firepower in case Loki showed up. She was used to taking on multiple human attackers, but had to resign herself that she didn't stand a chance against fighting him one on one.

Being bait for him was a strange mixture of being predator and prey simultaneously. The waiting was the hardest part. She wanted to draw him out, but didn't want to make it too obvious.

A clicking sound emanated from under Dr. Sofen's desk. Natasha realized the doctor was tapping her foot.

Natasha said: "Your record is very impressive, especially in such a new field. Not too many people specialize in psychology of Super Crime."

Dr. Sofen said: "Thank you. I sort of was drawn into it by accident and found I had an affinity for it. Not that I have an affinity for Super Crime myself. I meant for treating men who commit it. Not that I'm saying Dr. Bruce Banner is a criminal, because I'm completely unbiased and objective as a court expert."

Sofen flashed her a tight, patently fake smile.

Natasha said: "Are you nervous, Doctor?"

"Me nervous? No, of course not. It's just that when SHIELD said you wanted to talk to me directly but didn't say why, I became a little concerned you were questioning my credentials or something along those lines."

Natasha scanned the room. The desk was carved from a rich burled walnut. The carpet was plush and padded. Waterford crystal brightened the area. Karla herself was wearing a Donna Karan suit, Manolo Blahnik stiletto heels and a diamond encrusted Rolex watch. She was a woman with expensive tastes.

Natasha said: "You're afraid we'll take you off of the case and you'll lose your fee."

"Should I be afraid?"

"That depends."

Silence descended. Natasha was waiting for her to speak, but Karla wasn't saying anything. A clock ticked in the background. Karla looked at her watch, and then glared with a challenge in her eyes. Natasha kept her expression neutral.

Finally Karla spoke: "If this is the old wait for them to start talking and hang themselves interrogation trick, you do realize psyching people out is my reason for being?"

"I'm sorry. We're just concerned that since you let Emil Blonsky get off Scott-free, and Blonsky and Banner hate, loathe, and despise each other, that you're too biased to be the best person for this job."

"You're here to threaten me that if I don't give Banner a clean bill of mental health, you'll remove me."

"I didn't threaten. Your word. Not mine."

"Off the record, I didn't even like Blonsky."

"Then why did you state that he was: "An honorable man who devoted his life to service to his country, who was driven temporarily insane by experimental drugs and chemicals, but who expressed remorse for his actions and shouldn't be held responsible for a one time aberration in behavior."

Karla sighed. She rubbed her hands together. Her fingernails were painted in an opalescent polish which flashed in the light.

Karla said: "Blonsky was a soldier born in Russia, but whose family defected to the United Kingdom to escape persecution. As a child of immigrants he never felt like he fit in with the other Brits, so to overcompensate he joined the British Royal Marine Commandos. He rose to the rank of Captain, but sacrificed friends and his marriage as the cost. Soldiers have a shelf life and he was pushing 40. Then Banner comes on the scene and starts wrecking cities. Blonsky is loaned to the US to help stop him, but he gets his ass kicked by the Hulk. He doesn't take it well. General Ross plays to his midlife crisis and manipulates him into taking some experimental enhancements. Ross didn't tell me, but I figured it was a variation on the Super Soldier Program."

Natasha thought of Steve "Captain America" Rogers and how he turned out so well from the Super Soldier Program, but everyone else who tried it ended up…worse.

Karla continued: "He takes the glorified steroids and gets a new lease on life. Advanced speed, strength, healing ability, what have you? But it's not enough. Hulk kicks his ass again. He's envious of the Gamma power and gets obsessed with beating him."

Natasha thought of how many lives had been destroyed by men ruled by envy.

Karla said: "Blonsky's an addict at this time. He's devolving into a junkie. He submits to Gamma radiation and turns into the giant reptile fish monster we know and love as the Abomination. He starts throwing cars around, turns on the military that was the only home he knew for decades, fights Banner, and still loses."

Natasha said: "So why did you defend him?"

Karla had a glint in her eye as she said: "Because I empathized with him. I think he was used and discarded by the military, and I don't think the choices he made were evidence of permanent insanity. If someone offered you that much power, be it a strength enhancing serum or the chance to grow to be bigger than anyone else on Earth, would you turn it down? Could you? It's not insanity to want that kind of control, to desire to become something beyond human."

Natasha thought about it. What would she do if Fury wanted to resurrect Steve's Program? What if Tony offered her an Iron Man suit? Or Thor could grant Asgardian abilities, to become like a god?

Natasha said: "It's something I'd have to think about. But Banner never chose to become the Hulk. His situation was accidental."

"Exactly. Comparing Blonsky and Banner is apples and oranges. One has nothing to do with my analysis of the other. I give you my word as a professional. I'll be completely objective when I meet Banner. Trust me."

Natasha was wary of anyone who said: "Trust me." It was usually a red flag to do the opposite. Natasha's instincts were screaming about Dr. Sofen.

"I'm sure you'll do the right thing, Doctor. We'll have our lawyers intervene if there's any impropriety. Thank you for your cooperation."

Natasha left and told the SHIELD agents waiting outside: "I'll be in the women's room for a few minutes."

She entered the restroom and clicked her communications link off. She used the stall and walked towards the sinks.

In the corner of the mirror, Loki appeared. Natasha feigned surprise.

"I've missed you," he said.

To be continued.

Author's Note: I hope this chapter wasn't too much exposition for the Hulk-Blonsky backstory


	10. Chapter 10

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 10**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so, so, so much for the people who read and review. It motivates me to update quickly.

**Santa Fe**

Loki blocked Natasha from the door. She wondered how much time it would be before the SHIELD agents waiting outside entered. Even though they knew she was bait, she had told them to wait a "few minutes." It could only take a split second for Loki to kill her.

She asked: "Are you here to turn yourself in?"

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." He smirked: "What did Fury say about my proposal? At least, what did he say that is acceptable in polite company?"

"SHIELD would like for you to come in, of course. And we've honored your request not to tell your brother…for now."

She let the slight threat hover in the space between them. The space that was becoming too small.

He said: "I'm sure SHIELD would like a lot of things."

"And what do you want?"

He shrugged, but there was nothing casual about the way he moved. "I want it all, and I want it now."

"How did your ego fit through the door?"

She noticed he wasn't casting a shadow, even under the harsh fluorescent glare of the overhead lighting. She wasn't looking at the real Loki.

"Tell me," she said. "Are you teleporting around, or are you just making yourself invisible to appear and disappear at will?"

He blinked. "A magician never tells his audience his tricks."

"Magician. Is that what the Asgardians are calling you these days?"

"The Asgardians are calling me the God of Evil. It has such a ring to it, don't you think? I've burnt my Bifrost Bridge behind me."

Natasha mentally noted it as confirmation he had some form of ongoing connection to Asgard, even if the Bifrost was gone. Was he sliding back and forth between realms? Did he have an accomplice?

She asked: "Do you think of yourself as evil? Is that why you want to turn yourself in and repent?"

She remembered her first conversation with him, where he had mocked her guilt over the evil things she had done. Was he even capable of feeling guilty?

He smiled and took a step forward. "You know what they say: It takes a lifetime to build up a good reputation, but only a few minutes to destroy it. Destruction is so much more entertaining. There's something very…liberating about being labeled evil. It means I'm free to do anything I wish, and to anyone I want to."

He walked closer to her. There were no footsteps as he moved. She thought he was an illusion and was testing her and trying to scare her but she didn't want to give away that she realized it. Natasha stepped backwards until she was pinned to the wall.

She deadpanned: "You know you're really not making a case for yourself as looking to reform."

He chuckled: "Convince me I should reform, then. Did Fury give you orders to seduce me? To use your feminine wiles and lure me in to your Black Widow Spider's web?"

"I don't think I have to try very hard to seduce you."

"Of all the men you've lured in, did you ever enjoy it? You spend so much time as a spy, acting a part. Did you ever become the mask you were wearing?"

She thought about the one time she fell in love on the job: Hawkeye. Natasha didn't want to say anything that would make Loki jealous.

Aside from Hawkeye, there was a grey area in the masks she wore. On some of her assignments even though her mind was professional, she was physically attracted to some of her marks. She didn't let her emotions cloud her judgment, but that didn't mean she didn't take some fleeting pleasure where she could find it. It was like her mind was ice but her body was on fire.

He placed his right and left hands over the top of her head. She kept telling herself it was an illusion, that Loki was playing one of his tricks to test her and see what she would do.

Loki whispered: "It doesn't count if we're both pretending."

She said: "I know this is an illusion."

"Are you sure?"

This time, she did see shadows from overhead. Shadows like the grey area she was sliding into. She felt his body heat, cooler than a human man's but still undeniably alive letting her know in no uncertain terms he was real.

His mouth took possession of hers and she gave in to it. She kept her eyes open because she knew she didn't trust him. She could never trust him. She shouldn't trust him. She moaned and it was partly an act for his ego, but partly the raw truth of her instinctive reaction.

The door swung open and the two SHIELD agents entered with their guns drawn.

"Freeze. Put your hands up now!" one of them shouted.

Loki swung around and two glimmers appeared from his hands. Shards of crystalline hit the agents and they screamed. Gunshots hit Loki, but he didn't fall. Natasha jumped on Loki's back, but he threw her off. She hit the ceramic tile hard. She tried to aim her bracelet guns, but Loki vanished from sight.

Natasha screamed in Russian and took off down the hallway. She listened for footsteps but there were none. Her agents joined her. One was coughing up blood.

Natasha ordered: "Call it in to the local authorities."

One of the men said: "Call in what? That we're looking for an invisible man?"

The second man said: "Dude, I think I'm hurt. I need a doctor."

Natasha dug her fingernails into her palm. She was frustrated by the absurdity of the situation. She had gotten so close to have her chance shattered.

She frowned: "What are your names again?"

The first said: "Agent Eric O'Grady."

His hair was a reddish-blonde color. He seemed young to be an agent.

The second said: "Agent Fred Broca."

This man was older, with a slight paunch around his belly and grey hairs.

Natasha said: "Do you want to tell Director Fury that I almost had him and you bungled it?"

O'Grady snickered: "Yeah, you almost had him alright."

Broca laughed and started coughing up more blood. Natasha flashed them both a look that could kill.

O'Grady whimpered: "Sorry. Please don't kill me…I mean, us."

Broca said: "I really think I need a doctor."

Natasha looked down the corridor and sighed: "We're in an entire building full of doctors."

A million doctors and no emergency room.

O'Grady said: "Yeah, but do any of them take SHIELD's HMO?"

Broca coughed again and said: "I think I'm dying."

Dr. Karla Sofen opened her door: "Will you please keep it down out here? I have a paranoid schizophrenic patient about to come in who's convinced that government agents are spying on him and I don't think your presence in my hallway is going to help him on the General Assessment of Functioning Scale."

Natasha said sarcastically: "Sorry. We didn't mean to inconvenience you."

O'Grady said: "Hey, what's his name? Wouldn't it be funny if SHIELD actually was spying on him?"

Dr. Sofen said: "His name is confidential without a warrant."

Broca asked: "Do you take SHIELD's HMO?"

Karla said: "No. Please don't get blood in my hallway," and slammed her door shut.

Natasha sighed and put her arm around Broca, supporting him. "Come on. Let's get you to a real hospital."

As they shambled away, Natasha heard Karla lock her door. She frowned in suspicion. After the elevator door closed Natasha asked: "Was anything about that odd to you?"

O'Grady said: "You mean the invisible man you were sucking face with?"

Natasha said: "No. Doctor Sofen. Gunshots go off and she doesn't even stick her head out of the door, but she complains about us making too much noise. I think the doc has been compromised."

Author's Note: Eric O'Grady is another Marvel comic's character.


	11. Chapter 11

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 11**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so, so, so much for the people who read and review. It motivates me to update quickly.

**Santa Fe**

Loki explored the virtually deserted parking garage. He was fascinated by Midgardian's obsessions with their cars. Asgardians still rode horses which were considered to be mere livestock, but human beings treated their cars as if they were extensions of their personalities.

He had been raised to believe that Asgard was the most advanced civilization in the Nine Realms, but in many ways Earth was far more technologically sophisticated. A Mercedes-Benz was far more preferable than a sweaty horse.

Loki read the license plates, searching for a tell-tale government-issued giveaway. He'd noted that SHIELD agents always drove Acuras, but he didn't see any.

He pondered which vanity license plate he would pick for himself. Perhaps a joke version: LOWKEY, IMAGOD or THORSUX? His mind wandered to combinations like "FRSTGNT" and "FAILUR."

The pearlescent white Lexus SUV that was his target was parked in a corner. He wished it was any color but white: the only color easily seen in the dark. He used his invisibility as an extra cover and knocked on the passenger side window.

Karla nearly jumped out of her seat. He had to suppress a grin. She leaned over and let him in. He settled on the plush cushion next to her.

"You scared me," she said.

"I'm sorry," he lied. "Did anyone follow you?"

"I…I'm not sure. I've been checking my rearview mirrors constantly. Did anyone follow you?"

"I'm too skilled for that. SHIELD has surprisingly good surveillance though. They have facial recognition software. The only privacy is inside your head. And not even that anymore."

"I didn't tell SHIELD anything about you. I swear I've been completely loyal to you."

"They obviously suspect you of something."

Karla was leaning away from him. Her hands gripped the steering wheel like a vise even though they weren't driving anywhere. A bead of sweat dripped down the side of her face. She seemed ready to flee.

Loki clicked on the automatic locks which bolted them in. She swallowed.

Loki handed her an address: "Drive to this abandoned location."

She started the car engine. Loki reached to turn the air conditioning to full blast and Karla cringed.

"Why…so…serious?" Loki asked.

"Because I know what you want to do to me."

Loki was feeling frustrated over his rudely interrupted visit with Natasha earlier. He wondered if Karla was picking up on his hunger for the pleasures of the flesh. It had been a long time for him.

He cocked an eyebrow at her, playing coy: "And what would that be?"

"This is the part where you say I'm no longer of any use to you and kill me. You asked me to meet you in an empty parking lot with no witnesses."

Loki cackled with laughter. "Is that what you think this is? You wound me. I'm trying to protect you from the eyes of our enemies. I have something else in mind for you. I rather think you'll enjoy it."

She put the car in reverse. "Surrounded by enemies on all sides. Now I know what my paranoid patients feel like."

He said: "The best strategy for fighting enemies is to choose your friends strategically. Or at least your allies."

He thought of how disastrous his last alliance with the Chitauri had turned out. He had no choice in that matter, but now he had more control over the company he kept. As much as he liked to create chaos, he still craved control. Or was it the other way around, in that he created chaos because he felt like he wasn't truly in control?

Loki opened up the sunroof. He watched all of the stars in the sky. Thanos and the Chitaurians could be anywhere among them. Loki shut the sunroof. He may as well have been a child hiding under the covers for protection from monsters.

They arrived at the abandoned warehouse he had selected. Dr. Sofen turned the engine off. Everything was quiet.

He beckoned her outside: "Let's talk."

She said: "Why do I doubt you brought me all this way just to talk?"

They both exited the car. Loki heard the rattle of a Deathwatch Beetle in the distance.

Loki grinned and stared into her eyes. Her pupils were so dilated her eyes may as well have been colored black. He could see his twin reflections in them.

"I brought you out here because I'd like to…redefine our relationship. Have you ever heard of the Kree?"

Karla frowned. "No, but they sound like an Indian tribe."

Loki said: "They're an ancient alien civilization. I've managed to acquire one of their Moonstones. You like, Moonstones, don't you?"

He traced his fingers down her clavicle to her necklace.

"Yes," she said. Her voice had changed to something throatier and deeper.

She didn't seem frightened by his touch, but excited. He was starting to enjoy her company.

He said: "They grant power, great power. They can make you something much greater than a mere human. Not that that's hard."

"What kind of power?"

"Flight, increased strength, speed, endurance, durability, intangibility…you could walk through walls. You'll also have the ability to shoot laser beams from your hands and create light. You'll never feel frightened or helpless or at the mercy of others more powerful than you."

The nervous tension in her body seemed to have disappeared. Even in the darkness he could see a glint in her eyes.

"Wow," she said. "All of those except for the creating light bit are impressive. But if it grants that much power, why aren't you keeping it for yourself?"

He waved his hand. "Asgardians can't use the technology. Something about it not being able to bond to our nervous systems."

She looked thoughtful. "There's a catch here. There has to be a catch. You'll want something in return."

He put his hands on her bare shoulders. "Of course I do. If I give you this, you're bound to me for your life. Once the Moonstone bonds with a person, if it's removed for more than 72 hours, he or she can die."

"So you're keeping me on a short leash if you and I ever disagree."

"Woof-woof darling."

She leaned back against the SUV and exhaled. "Oh my God, this is a lot to think about."

"Well, now I am your god."

She stared at him. "I still think there's something you're not telling me, that there's another catch."

Loki put his hands over her head, mimicking the way he had cornered Natasha earlier. He leaned to her ear and whispered: "I want to you kill Tony Stark for me."

To be continued.


	12. Chapter 12

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 12**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so, so, so much for the people who read and review. It motivates me to update quickly.

**Santa Fe**

Karla's mouth dropped. "Tony Stark? You want me to kill f$&^$#g Iron Man? Couldn't you give me something simple, like assassinating President Obama?"

Loki frowned. He had expected her to jump at the power he was offering. He put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed. In his reflection against the SUV's window with his battle helmet horns he looked positively demonic.

Loki asked: "What is your difficulty with this? You've killed people before."

She sputtered: "That was different. The people I talked into suicide, they wanted to die. Those were mercy killings. He's a hero. The public loves him. He's not a rampaging monster like the Hulk or Abomination."

She was turning out to be more unpredictable than he expected. He liked being unpredictable himself to catch people off guard, but not when others around him did the same. Loki tried to gauge the best way to play on her emotions.

"Do you think a man who puts on a rocket suit and flies head first into danger doesn't secretly desire death? You disappoint me Dr. Karla Sofen of M.D. I should have known better than to offer this power to a woman. Drive me back. We're done here. Enjoy yourself dealing with SHIELD all alone."

He turned around for emphasis and started to walk back to his side of the car. Each footstep served as a reminder that things weren't going to plan. A flicker of fear crawled into his chest that he had made a mistake and was losing his favorite audience.

"Wait," she pleaded.

He smiled, gloating from the desperation in her voice. When he faced her again he suppressed his grin.

"I'll do it." She said. "I'll kill him for you. But I'll need training, time to get ready…"

"You have one week."

"Excuse me?"

Loki pulled out a newspaper. "It seems Stark Industries have been in a bit of a financial tailspin since my attack. He's having a glamorous fundraiser, with all of the Avengers present. All of the Avengers that will still be alive, that is. The money is supposed to help rebuild New York City, but I've been pulling strings to make it look like Stark is keeping the money for himself. The fallout from the scandal will be unprecedented."

Karla asked: "So why not just ruin him financially? Why murder him too? And why me?"

Loki took her hand and led her towards the abandoned warehouse. He heard the hoot of an owl in the distance and saw a flicker of black shadows. For a moment he wondered if they were ravens, sent by his father Odin. He cast a spell to create a cone of silence around them.

He said: "Well it's not a big secret that Stark's two biggest weaknesses are women and alcohol, and I can't give the Moonstone to a glass of scotch. It will be more humiliating for him to be bested by a woman. The best way to fight a super powered team is to build a super powered team of my own."

She frowned when he said "bested by a woman."

Karla said: "So basically you delegate the dirty work to the rest of us and keep the choice assignments for yourself. Do you realize who it is that fights super powered heroes: Supervillians. This is a slippery slope we're sliding on."

Loki felt himself sliding into destiny.

He squeezed her hand. "No man is the villain of his own story. The only judge of right and wrong is the teller of the tale. Everyone, sooner or later…lies. And you fell off that slippery slope long ago. You're covered in the mud of it. No matter how much white you wear on the outside to deny that or pretend differently, your soul is just as black as mine is."

She said: "I think you have some "projection" issues. And what do we call ourselves?"

Loki said with a grand gesture: "I like Loki's Army."

"We don't have enough members to be an army. I suggest a name that will help with recruitment, make people think they're a part of something grander."

Loki thought about names and their meanings. He really wanted to make the group all about him, but he conceded she had a point.

He proposed: "How about: The Masters."

"Masters of what?"

"Masters of Mischief!"

"Mischief isn't very intimidating."

He frowned. "I'm the God of Mischief woman! Show me the respect I deserve."

"I thought you were the God of Lies."

"I'm both! I'm everything! I'm the God of…Evil. We're the Masters of Evil."

Loki resigned to stop lying to himself about his true nature. He was what he was, what he was meant to be: the villain of everyone's tale but his own.

Karla said: "We're not evil. We're victims of society. We were abused as children. We have whatever Freudian excuse you want to use. "

"Are you trying to talk me out of giving you the power upgrade?"

"I…no, of course not. You're a God, Loki and I bow to your cunning master plan and superior intellect and charming wit and wonderful fashion sense."

He knew she was trying to play him, but he needed his ego stroked. When he was younger he and Thor used to sneak out to Midgard and have the Viking Earthlings worship them as gods. He wanted to be worshipped again. He needed it.

Loki said: "I invented flattery."

"I'm shutting up now."

Loki waved his hand: "I didn't say to stop. Keep going. And kneel before me for good measure."

Karla gave him an "Are you for real" look but complied. "You're the most amazing man I've ever met. You're just so powerful, and tall, and witty, and handsome. You're always right about everything. We're going to take over the world, you and I. They'll all kneel before us. They're all beneath you. We'll be the Masters of everything.

Loki ran his fingers through her hair, basking in the moment. Her locks were longer than Natasha's. He tried to imagine Natasha adoring him like this. When he had kissed her as much as he wanted to believe she was truly reciprocating, deep down inside he knew she could never love a man like him.

He murmured: "Continue."

Her voice sounded like a throaty purr. "You're going to get everything you want. You're better than Thor. You always have been, and the world will know it."

He enjoyed that, but thought of the implications. Thanos would know where to find him. The rest of Asgard could locate him.

Unpleasant memories crowded his mind: of always being the outcast, Thor's tag a long brother people only tolerated because he was a prince. They were: "The heir and the spare."

He remembered his time with the Chitauri, how he had been tortured in mind, body and soul. He had been made to feel so impotent and pained. He wanted to make the Avengers feel the same way.

Loki sighed: "We're going to make them suffer darling. Every single one of them."

Karla said: "Blonsky. You're recruiting the Abomination next to go after the Hulk. He's the next Master of Evil, isn't he?"

Loki said: "At first I was just going to have the Hulk locked away, but a good chess master always adapts to every opportunity. Let's send a rampaging monster to destroy another rampaging monster."

Loki's mind wandered to his fantasies of forming his own special team and defeating his enemies in one grandiose blow.

Karla snapped him out of it: "Do I have to keep kneeling? Because the gravel is killing my legs down here."

To be continued

**Author's Note: Sorry if this was a filler chapter. Just because Loki is planning on killing certain Avengers doesn't mean he'll succeed, but you'll have to keep reading to find out.-) I'll get back to Natasha and Clint's points of view **


	13. Chapter 13

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 13**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so, so, so much for the people who read and review. It motivates me to update quickly.

**Stark Tower, New York City**

Clint Barton watched the hive of construction workers, other SHIELD agents, and various executives of Stark Industries. In his weakened state, he had been assigned to "Stark Duty," by keeping tabs on Tony for Fury. Clint started to suspect Fury must hate him.

Tony fired off: "Have I shown you my new screen app, Legolas? It calculates the insurance I have to pay on everything I blow up."

Clint muttered: "So, stop blowing shit up then."

"Where would be the fun in that? Pepper! Pepper honey, over here."

Tony's long suffering CEO and even deeper suffering girlfriend approached. She was a red head like Natasha, but her hair was a softer, more strawberry blonde shade. She had hooded blue eyes and a glowing complexion. She was a unique combination of competence and vivaciousness.

Pepper kissed Tony on the lips and hugged Clint warmly. She asked him: "How is your arm healing?"

Clint said: "The sling comes off soon. At least I'm getting worker's compensation."

Tony said: "Worker's comp, my insurance just shot up again. Damn."

Pepper said: "Because it's all about you honey. I need you to sign this for the caterers for Saturday."

Tony frowned but started rapidly scrawling his signature on a stack of papers. His signature was messy but grandiose, like a doctor's handwriting. Clint had heard the excuse that messy handwriting was a sign of genius. Tony was definitely a genius.

Pepper walked away and Tony stared after her with a grin on his face.

Clint said: "About that, are you sure it's such a good idea to gather us all together in one place? It seems like it's making us a target."

Tony said: "A target for what? We won. Everyone loves us. Except poor Bruce, locked away for a psych evaluation. I don't like psychiatrists. They tried to say I was bipolar and had Attention Deficit Disorder. I was just really moody. They wanted to put me on Lithium, but that meant I couldn't drink. It'll be fun. I haven't been this excited since I got a vasectomy when I turned 18."

"Something I've learned from being a sniper: You're always a potential target."

"Lighten up Clint. You're so paranoid. Unless there's something you and Fury aren't telling me again. There's something Fury isn't telling me again, isn't he? "

Clint looked out of the floor to ceiling penthouse windows, trying to change the subject. "I love the view of the Brooklyn Bridge from here."

"Yeah, well I'm not buying the Brooklyn Bridge from SHIELD. Tell me what is going on. Come on, we're both Avengers."

Clint sighed: "You didn't hear this from me, but Loki's back on Earth. Some B.S. about him looking for asylum from Thor and we can't let Thor know."

"How many people has he killed this time?"

"None that we know of yet. But he's hitting on Natasha."

"Are you serious? Well it kind of makes sense. Guys target unattainable women so we don't have to commit. I used to do that all of the time before I got serious with Pepper. It's for the same reason so many girls fall for the bad boys. They can't admit they fear commitment too, so they pick the guy that's a challenge. And a psychopath that tries to take over the world is kind of the ultimate bad boy. For girls who are into the whole 'Draco in leather pants' thing."

"Are you trying to make me feel better? Because it's not working."

Tony put his arm around Clint: "Has anything happened between them?"

"Of course not."

"I wouldn't worry about it then. Oh look, Steve's here. Hey Cap, did you know Loki's back!"

The entire room turned and stared at them.

Clint sighed: "Please never let me confide anything in you again."

Clint wandered away towards the windows. He stared down all 120 stories to the Manhattan streets below. He had always been attracted to yet afraid of heights.

Some more SHIELD agents walked past him. Ever since he had come back from Loki's brainwashing, Clint had felt slight unease around the rank and file. He was always wondering if he had killed any of their friends or family members. He looked in their eyes for accusation, or a confirmation of his own guilt.

Agents O'Grady and Broca walked past him. Broca said: "Dude, I can't believe that bitch Romanoff had us taken off of her detail."

O'Grady said: "Yeah, I know. She's probably just pissed we walked in on her trying to bang Loki."

Clint's blood turned to ice. Every muscle in his body stiffened. He did not just hear that. He could not have just heard that.

Clint snarled: "What did you say?"

O'Grady stammered: "Oh, Barton. I didn't see you standing there."

Clint said: "Yeah you're great at surveillance for someone who works for a spy agency."

O'Grady said: "We didn't mean anything. Romanoff was probably just following orders. Like we all do. Just following orders. Please don't kill us."

Clint scowled as the two men hurried away. He searched for a room to get away far from the maddening crowd of co-workers.

He located a guest bathroom. It was covered in ostentatious gold filigree, but had state of the art technology. Even the toilet had electronic installations.

He stared at himself in the mirror. Bags covered the hollows under his eyes, eyes that were filled with the pain of betrayal. The lines in his forehead looked deeper. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself down. He splashed water over his face.

Clint speed-dialed Natasha on his phone. She picked up on the third ring and greeted him.

He said: "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Excuse me?"

"I heard you had a run in with Loki. Funny you didn't tell me yourself."

Her voice was cold and unreadable. "I don't normally volunteer information to you about missions that don't concern you. What have you heard?"

He wished he could see her face, to try to read her. Even though she was a talented actress, his keen eyes gave him insight. He felt blinded.

Clint said: "You tell me. What do you think I heard?"

Natasha swore something in Russian about O'Grady and Broca and then said: "I was just acting as part of an assignment. I'm always acting. You know that about me. It's what I do."

"Are you acting right now? If you screw guys for money, that makes you a whore, even if SHIELD is the one footing the bill. Or am I too much of a 'good guy' for you now and you really want the forbidden fruit!"

Her voice was flat, which made her words sound all the more cutting. "You're getting too emotional about this. I was just doing my job. I won't listen to you insult me because you're being unprofessional and insecure. Please don't contact me again unless you've calmed down."

She hung up her phone. Clint threw his own phone on the ground, shattering it. He felt like Loki was winning. He wanted to do something to get rid of that feeling.

To Be Continued.

**Author's Note: Well, this kills the suspense, but due to fanfic fan pressure: I promise Tony will survive. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 14**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so, so, so much for the people who read and review. It motivates me to update quickly.

**SHIELD Containment Facility, Santa Fe**

Natasha was ushered in to the padded room that held Dr. Bruce Banner. He was literally zipped into a straightjacket. She watched his eyes for signs of lucidity.

"Natasha, is that you? Can I call you Natty?" he asked.

"You can call me anything you want."

She gingerly sat down beside him. At least the floor was comfortable.

A heart monitor was strapped around his neck. It was connected to an alarm. She knew if his heart rate slipped above a certain number of beats per minute, he would Hulk-out again.

He asked: "Do I look fat? They pump me full of so many relaxants all I do is sleep all day. I miss exercise. I miss daylight."

She platonically stroked his cheek. Months ago she would have been too afraid to even touch him.

"You look fine," she lied.

He looked like he had aged 10 years since the last time she saw him. The grey in his hair had spread farther.

Bruce asked: "Are they ever going to let me out?"

"We're working on it. We need an expert to declare you safe and sane."

"How're the other Avengers? I like being an Avenger. People like me when I'm an Avenger. I still hate me, but at least other people like me. I'm sorry I tried to rip your arm off and beat you to death with it."

"What drugs are they giving you?" she asked, thumbing through his file.

She frowned when she read the name: "Sodium Pentothal." It was the same chemical used as truth serum, and in combination with other drugs was used as a form of lethal injection.

"They give me pills to keep me calm, but I'm always angry. Now I'm just too tired to care how angry I am. Did I ever tell you I killed my father? I miss Betty. They won't let me see Betty."

The heart rate monitor increased its beeping.

She thought of Loki. Could he have accessed this room and listened to Bruce's ravings? Could he be in there with them, right now? She looked around, but her instinct didn't sense anything. Loki was in her thoughts too much.

She lowered her voice: "I'd be very careful about what you tell people."

"Oh paranoia. That'll keep me calm. I'm going to do my breathing exercises now. Inhale. Exhale."

The beeping slowed.

Natasha hated seeing him like this. In his normal state he was brilliant and funny. AS the Hulk he was power incarnate, even if she was afraid of him. But to keep him drugged out of his mind seemed like a waste of both his brawn and brains.

She tried to soothe him: "We'll get you out of here. We're having a big fundraiser this Saturday. All of the Avengers will be together again in public."

"All of the Avengers except for me."

Natasha felt her throat tighten. She kept her voice neutral. "I'm sorry. I will get you out of here."

Her phone rang. "I've got to go. Please just stay calm and quiet."

She left the padded cell and answered her phone. She hoped it was Clint. She'd been waiting for him to call and apologize. It was a point of pride for her not to break down and call him first, childish though it was.

Instead it was Fury on the line: "Bad news. Emil Blonsky escaped."

**SHIELD Containment Facility, New York, 6 hours earlier**

Loki crash-landed with Dr. Karla Sofen outside of the glorified jail. He rolled off of her and brushed himself clean, trying to regain his dignity.

Loki said: "You're going to have to work on your flying skills."

Karla groaned as she staggered to her feet. "Sorry. I've only had superpowers for one day. They make it look so easy on TV."

"You Midgardians and your strange obsession with television. Hold my hand. I'll make us invisible. You make us intangible."

She deadpanned: "Yay teamwork."

He entwined his fingers in hers. Invisibility spells were easy for him, as he had been doing them for centuries. The feel of intangibility flowing from Karla's inexperienced hand was different and unsettling. He felt it wash over him until she started gagging and broke contact.

Karla keeled over and retched. Out of instinct, Loki grabbed her hair and pulled it back. It was something he had done countless times before whenever Thor's eyes were bigger than his stomach when it came to drinking. Thor got into trouble by trying to play at being an adult, and Loki was the one who got stuck making sure he didn't get vomit in his long blonde locks. Thor had only needed to return the favor for him once, because Loki had learned from his mistake what his limit was.

It was distasteful, but it was part of the fabric of being in a family, or even a close-knit team. Loki realized he would probably never do something like this with Thor ever again.

"Thanks. I'm sorry." Karla gasped. "That was so disgusting. Now I know not to go intangible on a full stomach."

Loki handed her a handkerchief.

"Are you ready now?" he asked.

She nodded and they linked hands again. This time the transition was smoother. They literally walked through the walls of the compound.

Loki knew where Blonsky's cage was from data he had stolen from Clint Barton's mind. He realized he hadn't had a face-to-face confrontation with Barton since he had returned to Earth. He'd pursue that mischief soon, after he finished with Blonsky.

Karla warned: "Remember, no matter what he looks like, Emil is still a man on the inside with normal intelligence. He hates to be condescended to. On second thought, maybe I better do all the talking."

Loki said: "I can speak without being condescending."

"Honey, not if your lips are moving."

Loki could smell Blonsky before he could see him. There was a stench of decay and moldy moistness. It was almost aquatic.

The Gamma Ray beast was completely hairless. He was green like The Hulk, but a corrupted, sickly shade of yellowish-green. His body was all muscle, gristle and bone. The skin was drawn so tight his sternum and bones stuck out. His spine formed a shark-like ridge on his back.

Blonsky's head looked too small for the rest of his body. He turned to look at them, as if he could already sense their presence. His face was a sunken skull.

Loki flashed back to when Hulk had beaten him like a ragdoll into the floor of Tony Stark's penthouse. As bad as Hulk had been, Blonsky was known for being bigger, stronger and even more aggressive. Doubts crept into his mind over whether recruiting him was such a wise decision.

"Is somebody there?" Blonsky boomed. "I can smell you."

His voice and his size reminded Loki of his real father: not Odin the Asgardian but Laufey the Frost Giant. He had only met him three times, and he murdered him the last time.

Karla let go of Loki's hand and they both materialized.

Karla said: "It's me, Dr. Sofen. I'm here with a…friend: This is Loki."

Blonsky narrowed his eyes. He looked brutal but cunning. Just like Loki's biological father.

Blonsky said: "Karla. Did you bring any pills?"

She said: "Not with me but maybe later."

Loki stepped in front of her, wanting to seize control of any spotlight. "Hello Mr. Blonsky. I'm putting a team together and inviting you to join."

Blonsky snorted: "Why would I want to join you?"

"Because I'm going to give you what you want most: the chance to defeat Bruce Banner."

**To Be Continued**


	15. Chapter 15

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 15**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so, so, so much for the people who read and review. It motivates me to update quickly.

**Shield Containment Facility, Santa Fe**

Natasha gripped her phone and thought of Bruce completely helpless against something like Emil "The Abomination" Blonsky.

She had seen the fight between the two gamma-radiated men that leveled Harlem. It was like a cross between dinosaurs and giants tearing each other apart. The psych reports on Blonsky revealed he still had a fixation against Bruce.

She told Fury: "I want Banner taken off meds now. He can't defend himself like this."

Fury said: "It ain't SHIELD's call to make. As of now, all efforts are being made to recover Blonsky. He hasn't attacked anyone yet."

The word "yet" was so ominous, like the calm before a hurricane.

She asked: "How the hell did he escape?"

Fury said: "Damndest thing. The video cameras showed nothing. He just disappeared with no damage to the infrastructure. It was like…."

Natasha finished: "…Magic. Could Loki be behind this?"

Fury was silent for a moment. "A year ago I didn't believe in magic. We don't have enough Intel to draw any conclusions yet."

"When did this happen?"

"At Oh-Four-Hundred Hours, Eastern Standard Time."

Natasha looked at her digital watch and calculated the time zone differences. Every moment the second changed, it felt like a countdown. She frowned.

She said: "I think we should hide Bruce, and let him detox so he can Hulk out if need be."

Fury sighed: "I'm running out of strings to pull, especially under so much mother #$ing publicity."

"Well pull them. Please."

He hung up. Natasha rubbed her eyes. She missed old-fashioned spying.

An alarm rang out, hurting her ear drums. Clanks, scrapes and screaming filled the air. She glanced at Bruce's padded cell. It was designed to keep a Hulk in, but could it keep another monster out?

She took the safety off of her regular gun, and readied her wrist gauntlets.

The door to the hallway was ripped off of its hinges. Blonsky's horrific form filled the doorway.

He bellowed: "Where's Banner? I want a rematch!"

She fired off a round of gunfire. The bullets deflected away from his skin uselessly.

He roared and bolted towards her. She twisted around to run, but he was lightning fast and grabbed her. Blonsky started to squeeze with his oversize hands.

Natasha couldn't breathe. She felt her life being crushed out of her lungs. Memories flooded her mind.

She realized if she died now, she would die with Clint angry at her and vice versa. It gave her an extra incentive to fight back. She was afraid to bite him as she knew a single drop of gamma-radiated blood could infect her.

She tried to use her wits and spoke to Blonsky in Russian: "_If you kill me you'll never get Banner_."

He lightened his squeeze and responded with a perfect Eastern European accent: "_You are, Russian born, yes_?"

"_Da_."

"_You are Black Widow, no? I have heard stories about you."_

"_All bad, I hope."_

He laughed. It wasn't a nice laugh at all, but a boastful one full of gloating triumph. His teeth were sharper than a regular human's, as if he had mutated into a carnivore.

Blonsky peered at her like a bullying child with a bug he was about to squash. He responded in Cockney-accented English: "I am no more Russian than you are these days."

He tossed her to the side. She hit a wall and heard something in her body crack. She didn't want to know what it was.

Blonsky opened Banner's cell. She could play dead and survive, but it wasn't her way to give up.

She tried to crawl to the padded room, but Blonsky filled its doorway and flung Bruce to the ground. He was still in his helpless human form.

Blonsky screamed: "Change into the Hulk, dammit! Change or I'll crush you!"

Natasha coughed: "He can't change. If you kill him now, you'll never prove you're stronger than him."

Bruce panted: "She's right. If you want to prove you're my nemesis, stepping on me now won't give you victory. Why do I have to have a nemesis? Why can't everyone just leave me alone?"

Blonsky growled. Some entry level SHIELD troops stormed the corridor and started shooting. They had stronger guns with them, including ones made from the Destroyer armor. Blonsky flung Bruce over his shoulder like King Kong carrying a damsel in distress and charged towards the shooters.

Natasha called out: "Don't hit Banner!"

She heard more roaring and gunfire. Blonsky left her sight. Natasha pushed herself up a wall for support. She dialed Fury, but his line was busy. He was probably getting filled in on the fiasco from someone else at SHIELD.

Natasha swallowed her pride, along with some blood, and dialed Clint. The phone rang once, twice, three times. She was about to hang up before it went to voicemail, when someone finally answered.

Loki's voice was like ice sliding down her spine: "Hello, Natasha. I'm afraid Clint's a bit…indisposed."

His laughter was even crueler than Blonsky's.

**SHIELD Hospital, 10 minutes earlier**

Clint Barton travelled through the corridors of the SHIELD hospital. They had taken the sling off of his arm. He felt free again.

Something in his mind pushed him to go to the roof. He assumed it was his instinctive need to be up high.

The wind blew past him and he inhaled. He walked to the edge and looked down. Clint wished his arrows were with him. He ached to practice shooting again.

On the street below he saw a black and red Mini Cooper drive by. The colors reminded him of Natasha. He debated if he should break down to call her and apologize. Thoughts crept into his head: that he should break up with her first, that she was a harlot, and that he could never trust her. He thought he could never compete with a man like Loki.

He suspected that there was something unnatural about the way he was thinking. It felt alien, like the fog in his brain from when Loki had possessed his mind.

Clint pulled out his gun and whipped around, but no one was there. He questioned if he was being paranoid.

A knife pressed against his throat and Loki hissed into his ear: "Scream and it will be the last sound you ever make."

Clint reverse head-butted him, but Loki didn't budge.

Loki condescended: "You Midgardians and your uninspired defense tactics. When will you realize your strength is nothing against mine?"

"You're in a SHIELD hotspot. Do you really think you'll get away with this?"

"Actually, yes. I get away with things. I suppose you could say it's my…thing, as you Americans would phrase it."

"No one gets away with everything. Not even Swedish Gods."

"I'm Asgardian, you half-wit."

"Are you going to go into another one of your: 'You're all plankton beneath my feet, kneel before my greatness' rants? Because you're getting predictable."

Loki walked him closer to the edge of the roof. The heights that beckoned Clint before now seemed menacing.

Loki hissed in his ear: "You already kneeled before me when you were one of mine. You did everything I asked when my staff controlled you. It was the only time I enjoyed your company. "

"Are you sure Natasha is really your type?"

Loki shoved him against the ledge. "Yes, this is all about me taking Natasha away from you. She will be mine. Everything will be mine."

"You're insane."

"Why are so many people trying to psychoanalyze me?"

"Because you're bat-shit crazy. It goes with the territory."

"Defiant until the end. And this is the end. It's ironic your nickname is Hawkeye, when you can't even fly."

Loki shoved his head over the wall.

Clint tried to keep him talking: "Why Natasha? Why her? You don't even know her."

Loki seemed to hesitate: "That's not the point. It's my culture. We conquer a land and claim its women for our own. It's part of war."

Clint's phone rang. It was the ringtone assigned to Natasha. The look in his eyes must have spelled that out for Loki, who smiled devilishly.

Loki covered Clint's mouth with his hand and answered it: "Hello, Natasha. I'm afraid Clint's a bit…indisposed."

**To be continued.**

**Author's Note: Sorry about all of the cliffhangers. I hope it's not too confusing when I skip around in time.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 16**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. **Warning: Something very violent happens in this chapter.** Thank you again to the people who read and review, especially when people state what is and isn't working.

**SHIELD Hospital Roof**

Loki put Clint Barton's cell on speaker phone with one hand and covered Clint's mouth with the other. The timing of Natasha's call was too perfect. He could make her listen to Barton die. He wished he could see Natasha's face instead of being blinded by the distance between them, but Barton was more than close enough for him to hurt.

Natasha asked with the voice of a frozen storm: "What have you done to him?"

Loki said: "It's what I'm about to do to him."

He let Barton speak: "Hospital! I'm on the roof of the SHIELD Hospital!"

Loki covered his mouth again and taunted: "They'll never save him in time. Unless you can do or say something to convince me to spare him."

Loki quickly glanced to the door of the roof. He had locked it, but SHIELD forces could knock down the door at any minute. He was taking a risk by taunting his prey instead of snuffing it out quickly.

She answered with a measured coolness, but the sounds of her breathing gave away her anxiety: "How do I know that's the real Clint, and you're not using one of your magic tricks to copy his voice?"

Loki let Barton speak: "Do you remember that time in Budapest?"

Natasha sighed: "Ok, I believe you. What I don't believe is that anything I do or say will make a difference. I think you're going to kill him no matter what and this is just another one of your sick mind games."

Loki purred: "Do you really think of yourself as so helpless? Or does Barton mean so little to you that you're too proud to beg for him? The day I met you, you told me you didn't love him, that love was for children and you merely owed him a debt. Perhaps I can wipe that debt from your ledger, permanently. Maybe deep down inside you want him dead, so you can be free."

Loki stared down at Clint's face to relish the fear and uncertainty in his eyes. When he'd possessed Clint's mind, he'd absorbed his insecurity that the only thing he had going for him was his eyesight.

Natasha said: "If you thought I was so helpless, why did you go through the trouble to send Blonsky after me?"

Loki was caught off guard. He wasn't expecting her to know he was responsible for freeing him. He wanted to have words with Emil the next time he saw him.

He remembered her interrogation techniques involved feigning weakness and stupidity to get her target to be overconfident and let information slip. Should he play his cards and confirm he was in league with other super-powered beings, or pretend ignorance?

Clint stared at Loki's face as he lied: "Blonsky? I don't know even who that is; although I'm flattered that SHIELD blames me for everything these days. I would never let anyone else hurt you."

Clint mumbled a sarcastic groan through Loki's hands.

Natasha deadpanned: "Because murdering my partner and making me listen to it isn't hurting me. For a guy who's hundreds of years old, you really have no clue about women."

Loki tried not to answer without coming up with a witty retort first. She had hit on a sore point: he truly didn't have much understanding of women. Every woman he was interested in in Asgard fell for Thor, so he didn't have much relationship experience.

The silence stretched on too long. Loki sensed she was stalling, that she had already alerted SHIELD of his location and any moment guards would burst onto the roof.

He heard a flap of wings and thought it was Odin's ravens again, come to spy on him. What would his father think of him if he could see him now, torturing his brother's teammates in a desperate attempt to pretend he was in control? The birds turned out to be pigeons. Or were they?

Loki needed to take action to calm the fears in his head. He grabbed Barton by the throat and dangled him over the edge.

Loki hissed: "Then this is going to hurt you as much as it hurts him. Say goodbye."

Clint screamed. He tried to kick and punch at Loki, but no matter how much Midgardian training he had, he was no match for Loki's strength.

Natasha said: "Stop it. Please."

Loki snickered: "Was that begging?"

"No, it's bargaining. When you came to me you asked for asylum. You're running from something or someone. If you kill him, you will never get any asylum from it. We'll also tell Thor everything you've been up to. And you will never, ever touch me again. This is my bargain to you."

Loki stared at Clint dangling over the precipice, debating if he should drop him or not. Clanging sounds emanated from the rooftop door. The SHIELD agents were almost there.

Loki threw Barton back onto the roof. "I give you my word, I won't kill him. I'm capable of mercy."

Clint and Natasha both sighed thanks in unison.

Envy stirred in Loki's heart. They truly loved each other, and deep down inside he suspected Natasha would never feel for him the way she did for Clint. If Loki could never be loved, he could at least be feared.

He hissed: "This is my mercy, you crying fools."

Loki jammed his fingers into Barton's eyes, burying them in blood.

**SHIELD Hospital, Six Hours Later**

Clint woke up to blackness. For the rest of his life, everything was going to be black. He wished Loki had killed him instead.

He asked: "Is anybody there?"

A feeling of impotence washed over him. He would never know if someone was standing three feet away, unless he or she spoke. He'd spent his whole life dependent on his sense of sight, and now he couldn't see anything.

"It's me, Steve Rogers."

Clint felt like he should rise and salute, but he was too weak. His head felt hollow in the literal sense and his muscles were fatigued.

Clint asked: "Is anyone else in the room?"

Steve said: "Just us, although it seems like Fury is always keeping an eye on things. Oh…bad choice of words."

Clint started laughing even though it wasn't funny: "In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed SHIELD Director is king!"

"Are you gonna be OK?"

"I think I'm still in shock. Or is this the acceptance phase? I mean, he blinded me. Loki Mother #$%ing blinded me!"

Steve put his hand on Clint's shoulder in what seemed like an attempt at brotherly camaraderie.

Steve said: "I'll give you whatever support you need. When you're ready, you and I need to talk."

**To Be Continued**

**Author's Note: I hope the technology of regular cell phones doesn't seem dated. But Bluetooths just aren't dramatic enough. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 17**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you again to the people who read and review.

**New York, Central Park **

Steve Rogers led Clint through Central Park. Clint hated being dependent on someone else, unless it was Natasha.

He could feel the sunlight on his face, but couldn't see it. The conventional wisdom was that when people lose one sense, their other senses supposedly became stronger. He could hear dozens of different languages being spoken around him, but they didn't seem any clearer than usual. He didn't develop advanced hearing overnight.

Steve said: "This area looks private."

Clint instinctively raised his head to the sky. "If you're trying to hide from SHIELD's prying satellites, nowhere is safe."

"I can at least avoid our conversations being bugged in the woods."

"But not getting mugged. Central Park is dangerous at night."

"It wasn't dangerous 70 years ago. And it's daytime. Let's sit here."

Clint settled into the grass. He couldn't check for dog waste or garbage, but trusted Steve wouldn't pick a bad spot. If he had to be led by someone, it may as well have been Captain America himself.

Steve asked: "How are you holding up? I mean, how are you really holding up, and not what you're telling the doctors they make you see?"

Clint sighed. He wasn't the most open of people before, but now talking and listening was his main tie to the world. It forced him to be more vocal.

"I feel like I'm hanging from a rope that's unraveling, and any moment it's going to break. I'm no angel. I mean I killed people for a living. Maybe I deserve what happened to me."

"Don't believe that. You have nothing to be guilty about. No one deserves what that monster did to you."

Clint mulled things over, all of the atrocities he had committed in crime or war. He tried to think of what would make him different than Loki, where the line was drawn between the so-called good guys and bad guys.

Clint asked: "What's the difference between a soldier and a monster?"

Steve said: "It's the difference between doing what we have to do to make the world better or at least safer, and being a bully that likes hurting people."

Clint squeezed clumps of grass, and ruminated. "You're right. I was a sniper. I killed from a distance. It was all about getting the job done, not about making anyone suffer. If anything, shooting targets painlessly in the head was a form of mercy."

He pondered again if it would have been more merciful for Loki to have simply killed him, but he knew if he said that out loud Steve would offer platitudes or try to talk him out of it. He couldn't relate to Steve's brand of idealism.

Steve said: "We fight cruelty. It's what makes us good soldiers. Are you going to stop fighting now?"

Clint smiled. It was his first real smile since his mutilation that wasn't a nervous reaction. "No, I'm not going to stop fighting. I'm never going to stop. Let's get this monster, wherever he is."

**Santa Fe**

Loki sipped from a glass of Midgardian wine. It was sweet, almost as much as the taste of revenge.

He stretched out on a tanned brown leather couch in the mansion he had commandeered for his temporary headquarters. It was a boarded up foreclosure and was initially coated in dust, but he'd managed to make it livable. Over the past year his living quarters had gone from an Asgardian palace, to a Chitaurian airship, to an abandoned subway and various prison cells. He much preferred to be surrounded by luxury.

Karla was in the adjoining room, trying on her new disguise.

She said: "It sounds like you wanted to symbolically castrate the poor guy. You could have just killed him."

Loki arched an eyebrow: "Are you suggesting a mercy killing?"

She entered wearing a skintight uniform of silver and gold. The splitting in colors looked like impossibly low-cut cleavage, although her body was completely covered. It gleamed to the point of being a mirror. A matching silver mask concealed the top of her face and curved over her chin.

"I'm suggesting strategy," Karla said, as she poured her own glass of wine. "Either destroy your enemies completely or befriend them. Inflicting trauma just motivates them to attack you. Niccolo Machiavelli's theories and all."

Loki lied: "Who do you think whispered Machiavelli's theories about how it's better to be feared than loved into his ear when he wrote his little book _The Prince_? It was I."

She gave him a skeptical look as she sat down next to him. He could feel her body heat.

Karla asked: "Are you going to take credit for inventing the internet, too? Machiavelli's advice was it's best for a prince to be both feared and loved, but if he had to choose between the two it's safer to be feared. Most importantly, he has to avoid being hated. People forget the advice about not being hated. And blinding a man, whose livelihood depends on his sight, puts you in the hated category."

He realized there was no possible way Natasha couldn't hate him at this moment in time. Perhaps he should start considering other opportunities.

Loki wrapped his arm around the back of the couch. He grazed Karla's long blonde hair. "The Avengers already hated me."

"Do you hate yourself?"

Loki pulled his hand back. "Excuse me? That's an impudent question. I think you're letting the power upgrade I so generously gave you, and can take away from you go to your head."

Karla took another sip from the wine. "I'm sorry if I struck a nerve and made you feel self-conscious. I'm just trying to help with your self-esteem issues."

Rage boiled within him. "Self-esteem issues! How dare you? I am an immortal God! You are underneath me, you ungrateful little Midgardian harlot."

She set her glass down: "You're being abusive and lashing out because your self-esteem is so fragile and low that you need to tear other people down to validate your own sense of worthiness. I think you suffer from a condition called narcissistic personality disorder."

"I don't suffer from narcissism, I enjoy every moment of it."

"Do you Loki? Do you really? Because the only emotion I'm reading off of you is anger. People with N.P.D. are hypersensitive to criticism."

He was defiantly angry. He thought of tearing her apart with his bare hands, or strangling her, or using one of his ice knives to slit her throat so she would stop saying the things that he knew were true.

Loki glared at her. He saw his own reflection in the gleam of her costume. He looked wild, almost as bad as he had deteriorated to when the Tesseract had him in his thrall.

He saw fear in her eyes, and for the first time questioned if that was a good thing. At least it wasn't a good thing unless it was accompanied by love.

Loki finished up the wine, hoping it would calm him. There was the danger of alcohol having the opposite effect.

He said: "Perhaps there is an element of truth to what you say. I'm sorry if I insulted you. My tongue can be faster than my mind sometimes."

She smiled. It didn't seem warm or cold, but natural. "Thank you for showing me enough respect to apologize. I'm just trying to help you."

Loki thought about respect. Perhaps deep down inside it was what he truly wanted, both from himself and others.

He put his arm behind Karla again. "So what about you and me?"

She asked: "What do you mean?"

Loki thought she was being coy, but couldn't tell. He was frustrated by being able to influence human minds, but not read them.

He caressed her shoulder: "Could you fear me and love me, all at once?"

Loki leaned in to kiss her, but she put her hand on his chest, stopping him. Their lips were just inches away from each other.

She said: "I don't know yet. Maybe."

He pressed closer towards her and whispered: "Maybe could easily become yes."

The house suddenly shook.

He thought it was an earthquake, but then he heard Emil Blonsky boom: "I'm back! Guess who I brought."

Loki and Karla scooted to opposite sides of the couch. She looked as cool as a glass of mead, without a trace of guilt.

Blonsky flung open the door and threw Banner down on the rug.

**To be continued.**

**Author's Note: In the comics one of Black Widow's most famous boyfriends was Daredevil (the blind superhero) and Hawkeye actually went through a period when he was deaf. **


	18. Chapter 18

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 18**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so much to the people who read and review.

**Santa Fe**

Emil Blonsky kicked Bruce Banner onto his back. He was wrapped inside of a straightjacket and his eyes were shut. Shallow, ragged breathing revealed he was still alive.

Blonsky, Loki and Karla all peered down at him. Loki relished seeing him so helpless. His human form was so ordinary compared to the intimidating behemoth he changed into.

Bruce blinked his eyes open. "Blonsky and Loki and a blonde woman with big boobs I don't know are all working together? Am I in hell?"

Karla said: "I'm Moonstone. My secret identity is Moonstone."

Blonsky said: "Moonstone is a guy's name."

Karla said: "And Abomination is a good nickname?"

Blonsky growled and lurched towards Karla. Loki wanted his aggression turned against his enemies, but not towards infighting.

Loki stepped between them: "Blonsky, settle down please. Moonstone, please bring Dr. Bruce, Son of Banner some water."

He picked up Bruce by his straightjacket and held him so they were eye-level. "You're not in Hell yet. Which rather disappoints me."

Blonsky snorted.

Loki made sure Karla was out of hearing distance and turned to Blonsky: "You were supposed to kill him, not bring him here. And I ordered you not to hurt Natasha. She's mine."

"I want to defeat the Hulk, not this weakling. There's no victory if I destroy him like this. And you told me not to kill the redhead. When I realized who she was, I let her live."

Loki sighed. He realized he was being hypocritical about hurting versus murdering the enemy.

He pondered the possibilities. Should he just kill Banner now, snap his neck and be done with it? If he did that he'd alienate the Abomination, and he needed his strength to fight the rest of the Avengers.

His whole life, he had been surrounded by men who were obsessed with honor, victory, and self-destructive pride. Warriors on Midgard were no different than warriors on Asgard. They put pride before common sense.

Should he keep Banner as a hostage, someone to bargain with? Or should he bring the Hulk monster out?

Loki said to Bruce: "Are you hiding the beast back within you, fighting your true nature? You can't hide forever. I'll find what it takes to turn you green again. I like green: It's my favorite color."

Bruce said: "I like purple. It's calming."

Loki dropped him unceremoniously onto the floor.

Blonsky said: "I like red: For your blood after I rip you limb from limb."

Bruce asked: "Why are you people so violent?"

Moonstone entered with a bottle of water. She let Banner drink from it. It was like a caricature of mother and child.

Bruce thanked her and smiled weakly at her.

Moonstone deadpanned: "You're welcome. Let's kill him now and be done with it."

Bruce stopped smiling and lunged out of her lap. His eyes flashed green.

Loki laughed: "Now we're getting somewhere. Let it all out. The only time you have any value is when you're the Hulk, not this weak, pathetic, cowering little man. You know you want a rematch with Blonsky. It's personal with him. You get angrier when it's personal. The Hulk can fight all the battles you're too frail to lift a finger about."

Bruce groaned: "I won't transform. They put chemicals in me to keep me from turning. No matter what you do or say to me, I can't."

Moonstone asked: "What medications did they prescribe?"

Bruce groaned: "Sodium Pentothal and Thioridazine."

She asked: "What was the dosage and how long ago did you ingest any? What side effects have you been having?'

Bruce asked: "Fifty-eight milligrams of one and seventy-two of the other twelve hours ago. I'm tired, thirsty and too honest for my own good. Are you a psychiatrist?"

Moonstone turned red.

Loki asked her: "How long until he can change?"

Moonstone leaned over Banner and put her hand under his chin. "It depends on what level of tolerance he's built up. I can give him stimulants to reverse the process."

Loki asked: "Can you get him to change in time for Tony Stark's gala?"

She smiled: "I'll do what I can."

Loki gestured to Blonsky: "Come with me, let's discuss strategy."

Moonstone frowned: "Shouldn't I be included in that?"

Blonsky asked: "And what do you know about battle, little girl? Have you even been in a real fight before?"

Moonstone held up her middle finger at him. It glowed with her Kree power.

Banner moaned: "And I thought the Avengers had teamwork issues."

Loki said: "It's for privacy, darling. It wouldn't do to discuss my plans in front of the hostage. Work your Midgardian magic on him in the meantime."

Blonsky said: "Let's go to the pool. It's too f$%^ing dry here."

They ventured to the backyard. It was evening, so the lights were dim, except for the moon and some overhead lamps.

Loki had cast an invisibility spell over the property to protect them from Heimdall's eyes, SHIELD's satellites, or the forces of Thanos. He wondered if he should be nervous that he hadn't heard anything from Amora about what was going on in Asgard. Time seemed to move more quickly among mortals, so perhaps he was being premature to worry. Or should he be worrying more?

Blonsky jumped into the pool, splashing water on to the paved patio deck. He swam around as if the pool was his natural home. Loki hoped no one could hear the racket.

Loki gingerly took his shoes off and rolled his pants up so he could rest his feet in the water. The feeling was deliciously cool and soothing.

Blonsky bobbed his head in the waves like a crocodile waiting for prey. He stared at Loki's toes as if they were lunch. He wanted to pull his feet back, but didn't think he should show any weakness or fear.

Loki asked: "So tell me, after defeating the Hulk, what do you want most?"

Blonsky shook his head, and water droplets fell on Loki. They drenched his hair. Loki tried to squeeze the moisture from his ends. He really needed to get a haircut.

Blonsky said: "I'd like to see my son again. I haven't seen him since I turned into…this."

Loki thought about how both of his fathers had abandoned him. Laufey had left him to freeze to death, if Odin's word was to be believed. Odin had agreed for him to be tortured. And yet the beast in front of him missed his child.

Loki saw an angle: "SHIELD kept your own son from you? How awful. Even more reason for us to tear them up together."

Blonsky said: "Yeah, I was caged like an animal for so long; I just wanna be free and fight again."

"Do you enjoy having this form?"

Blonsky frowned, and looked as thoughtful as a Gamma Ray Beast could appear. "Most of the time I do. I love being able to tower over everyone else. Sometimes I'd like to just fit in and do all the things I used to take for granted, though."

Loki grinned. "I can cast illusions. Let me show you. Look at your reflection."

Blonsky frowned and looked at his reflection in the water, illuminated by moonlight. It reflected a man, in what would be his late 30's or early 40's by Earth years. He put his hand in the water, as if he expected the image to disappear.

When he pulled it back and it reformed, Blonsky said: "I'll be damned."

Loki bragged: "I can make you appear normal to crowds. I can't change your bulk and if people bump into you they'll feel it, but visually, you're your old self. Provided you stick with me and stay on my good side. Get on my bad side and I take back my gifts."

"Of course. So what Avengers do you want me to take out after I finish up Banner?"

"Well, you like the Super-Soldier Serum so much, why not go after the original Super-Soldier himself: Captain America."

**Avengers Tower**

Clint asked Steve Rogers: "So how do I look in the penguin suit?"

Steve said: "You look fine. Tuxedos haven't changed at all since I can remember. Men's clothes look normal. Women's clothes have gotten strange. Sometimes I wonder why modern gals even bother to get dressed at all. Like that Lady Gaga woman. How come she doesn't wear normal skirts?"

"Women walk around half-naked, and you're complaining?"

"Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I think there are some things a woman should only wear in front of her husband."

"Yep. You're old-fashioned. Just don't get scandalized at whatever Natasha shows up in. Not that I'll be able to see it."

Clint realized when she walked in it would be the first time he and Nat would be in the same room since he had been blinded. It was even more nerve-racking than having to wear a tuxedo in public.

He recognized Natasha's knock on the door and straightened himself up.

**To be continued**

**Author's Note: Steve Rogers has been the hardest character for me to write for. In the comics, Hawkeye and Karla/Moonstone actually dated each other for a while. Black Widow's character wasn't too happy about it. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 19**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so much to the people who read and review. It's much appreciated.

**Stark Tower, 30 Minutes Earlier**

Natasha looked through her closet trying to find the perfect outfit for the gala. Normally she would be thinking of what clothes Clint would most like to see her in, except now it wouldn't matter. She would have to dress for the crowd tonight. As an Avenger, she was expected to be part of a show for onlookers to gawk at.

She fingered through her evening wear section. Her hands trailed over silk, taffeta, sequins, and jersey. Grasping a red gown, she remembered how Loki had told her she looked good in that color. She let it fall back on its hanger and grabbed a long black halter dress.

Her instincts told her to wear comfortable shoes she could run in. Having almost all of the Avengers together again would be too tempting a target for Loki. She selected a pair of sequined ballet flats.

As a finishing touch she attached her bracelet guns and slid on a modified garter that held a knife and another pistol against her thigh. She put on a communications earpiece and covered her lips with a shimmery pink gloss.

Natasha rode up the elevator to the room Tony had built for Clint. She hadn't liked Tony when they first met, but she grew to be impressed by his generosity and respected his bravery.

She knocked on the door and braced for what he would look like with literally no eyes. Clint opened the entry to the room. He wore sunglasses, but she could see traces of bandages behind them.

He reached out to hug her, but his arms were slightly off. She tried to guide him towards her voice. They kissed, but it was awkward as he couldn't see where her lips were.

Steve Rogers asked tentatively: "Do you want me to leave you two alone?"

Clint said: "Uh, thanks if you don't mind. You've been a big help, bro."

Steve looked confused: "Bro? Oh you mean brother. You're very welcome. I'll see you later."

Steve left, shutting the door behind him.

Natasha said: "He seems like an unusually nice guy."

Clint said: "Yeah, I'm not used to being around nice people. I wish I could see what you look like."

"I wish you could too. Is there any hope for your eyes?"

He sighed: "Fury gave me some options. I could get a seeing eye-dog and use a walking-stick. I could learn to read braille, stay with SHIELD and be demoted to a desk-jockey analyst or entry level surveillance agent, or retire on a full pension. He gave me some line about how technology is always advancing and maybe science can give me my sight back. I asked if the technology is so great, how come he's still wearing an eye patch? I wish I could've seen the look on his face when I said that."

She squeezed his hand: "There's always hope. I'll help with whatever you decide to do. Learning braille could be fun. I already speak 9 languages, what's one more?"

"Languages are easy for you. Everything is easier for you."

Guilt filled her. "I wish I could think of the right thing to say in any language. I feel like Loki targeted you because of me. If I could go back in time and change things, I would've never fallen for his pleas for asylum."

"Well, hindsight is 20-20. I'm not making a "sight" reference on purpose, really. Be honest with me, is that all you fell for?"

Natasha churned her memories of her interactions with Loki. She remembered his intelligent charm, his savagery, the way he made her feel when he kissed her, and the destruction he left in his wake.

She said: "It was complicated before, but after what he did to you, I could never be interested in a bastard like that. I love you. I'm loyal to you, and that's all that matters."

She rested her forehead against his. Neither of them moved for a moment.

Clint asked: "What if he forces you? He doesn't have a history of respecting other people's boundaries."

She swallowed: "That's why I'm always armed."

"What if it isn't enough? I can't protect you like this. I can't even protect me."

Natasha questioned if there was even such a thing as protection, if anyone was ever truly safe. She hugged Clint.

She said: "I'm a survivor. We both are."

"What if he hits us tonight, attacks during the gala? It would be his style."

"We'll be ready for him. The Avengers will be ready for him. We have numbers on our side, and he's alone."

**Santa Fe **

Loki returned to the house and peeked through the door where he had left Bruce Banner with Moonstone. The floor was littered with several vials of blood and empty bottles of prescription medications.

Moonstone was straddling Banner and whispering in his ear. Loki felt a twinge of jealousy.

She murmured: "You and The Hulk aren't two different personalities. Most people that claim they have Multiple Personality Disorder are really just splitting the extremes of their original base personality and giving them different identities as a defense mechanism. You're lying to yourself because you can't handle that the Hulk does the things that you're too afraid to admit you want to do."

Banner groaned: "The Other Guy isn't me. I'm not the Hulk. They have to be separate. They can't merge."

She asked: "What are you afraid will happen if they merge?"

Loki interrupted: "What the bloody Hell is going on in here?"

Moonstone looked startled for a moment, but then her expression turned cold. "I'm just doing what you told me and increasing his excitability levels."

"Why are you collecting his blood?"

She smiled and held up the closest vial: "Did you know one drop of this stuff can create a new Gamma beast?"

Banner moaned: "No more like me. Don't make any more like me. Stop the curse."

Loki took the vial from her fingers. The blood was the same temperature as her skin.

She suggested: "We could keep Banner alive for now, build more of these things, get them under control, and then attack with more numbers when we're ready."

He stared at the vial, imagining an army of Hulk monsters at his command, or even Abominations. But, could he truly command them?

Loki said: "Tempting, but I don't want to give powers to something I can't control."

She frowned at him.

Loki smirked: "You'd do anything to wiggle out of killing Tony Stark tomorrow, wouldn't you darling?"

Banner screamed: "WHAT! Tony Stark is my best friend! If you touch him, I'll…I'll…"

Loki expected Banner to start to turn green, but instead his flesh broke out in grey patches. His brown eyes flashed a similar grey color. He looked like there was a bigger power inside of him, struggling to get out. His legs started to bulge.

Moonstone jumped off of Bruce: "I think we need to bring Blonsky back in."

She left the room.

Loki watched Bruce's skin stretch and retract. Larger parts of him turned ash grey, like the color of a cold corpse rather than the bright green shade of jade associated with him. The transformation slowed, but continued.

Banner smiled and said: "You don't really think we'll let you win, assholes."

Loki frowned. He hadn't spent much time with Banner in or out of his Hulked-out form, but he'd researched both personalities and this behavior seemed out of character for both of them. He was under the influence of powerful drugs, kidnapping and mind games, so it could just be the combination making him act strange.

Loki's allies returned.

Blonsky asked: "You drained all of that gamma-powered blood and didn't give me any?"

He grabbed one of the vials and tried to open it. When his fingers proved too large, he crushed the vial in his hand and sucked on the blood.

Loki tried not to be sick.

Moonstone rolled her eyes and mouthed the word "Junkies" to Loki.

Banner said: "My blood won't make you more powerful again, moron. Ingesting it only works once."

Blonsky roared at him.

Banner taunted: "When I finish changing I am so gonna kick your ass again."

Loki said: "Perhaps we should all start travelling east, now. Blonsky, carry him as close to New York as you can before he changes completely and then fight him in the most public way possible. Moonstone and I will fly to Stark Tower now. It's time to bring the Avengers down."

**To Be Continued**


	20. Chapter 20

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 20**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so much to the people who read and review. It's much appreciated.

**Airplane Flight from Santa Fe to New York**

Loki enjoyed most Midgardian cuisine, but airline food was an exception. He picked at his meal with distaste before giving up and clicking on the computer screen embedded in the seat in front of him. It gave an option to track their flight from Santa Fe to New York. They were somewhere over the land called Arkansas.

They travelled over a patchwork of landscapes and lakes. Roads bisected green blocks of grass and crops. The clouds the plane passed over reminded him of Asgard.

He recalled how the edge of Asgard looked. As a child he used to come to the edge of the Bifrost and look down over the roof of the world. Unfortunately, as Heimdall guarded the bridge and he clearly didn't like Loki, it had discouraged him from visiting in his later years.

Loki questioned if he would to return to Asgard. Would he ever feel at home anywhere again?

He looked at the Midgardian travelers around him in the First Class section. Everyone appeared engrossed in their technological devices.

Moonstone alternated between flipping through the news stations on the screen in front of her and reading from a book entitled: "Street Fighting for Dummies." She kept taking various pills with water.

She said: "I'm concerned about Natasha Romanoff."

Loki knocked over his empty glass of Scotch. "Natasha? Why?"

"She's met me. She could recognize my voice. Maybe I should try an accent. Like yours."

She segued into a copy of his speech inflections: "You foolish Midgardians, bow before my greatness. Friends, Asgardians, countrymen, lend me your ears! Or your eyes, if you're Clint Barton. I come to bury Tony Stark, not to praise him."

Loki glared at her: "How many of those pills have you taken?"

"It's OK. They're prescription. Trust me, I'm a doctor. At least I used to be a doctor, now I don't know what you're turning me into."

"Are you trying to provoke a fight with me before our siege? Is this your desperate attempt to anger me because you're frightened of carrying out my plans? You had better pull yourself together before this plane lands."

Moonstone turned away and bowed her head: "I'm sorry."

"Good," he said, as he resumed staring at the screen in front of him.

"I'm not happy with the way you treat me. I don't like the balance of power in our relationship."

Loki rolled his eyes. "I wasn't aware we were in a relationship."

"We spend constant time together. We hold hands, and call each other 'Honey' and 'Darling', and you're really touchy-feely with me in a way that's half hot and half borderline stalker-creepy."

"It isn't a relationship unless we…well…you know."

Her eyes lit up: "Screw each other's brains out?"

"You Midgardians and your euphemisms."

She grabbed his hand: "Like joining the Mile High Club?"

"I'm not familiar with that one."

She laughed, and then leaned in and whispered in his ear: "You're so worldly about things I forget you're not from this world. It's a nickname for people who have sex on an airplane, at least a mile up. "

Loki felt conflicting urges. Mentally he suspected she was using his attraction to her to gain power over him. He questioned if she wasn't truly interested in him, but under the influence of whatever medications she had been drowning herself in. Physically he was more than eager to join the so-called club.

He whispered: "Are you offering Darling?"

"Only if you make me your equal."

He remembered the day he had fallen into the wormhole, when he'd told Thor: "I never wanted the throne. I only wanted to be your equal."

Karla was so much like him under the skin.

He whispered in one of her ears: "Do you truly want equality?" He switched to her other ear: "Or domination? We can't both be Master of the Masters of Evil."

"We can take turns. I'm flexible. Really flexible."

He squeezed her hand. "Tempting, but I'm not some inexperienced boy eager to throw away his control for what's under a beautiful woman's skirt. I'm a god."

"You may be a god, but you're still a man."

He could lie to her, play along and promise to split power with her. That could complicate things down the road, though.

He said: "Here's my bargain: Behind closed doors, I'll treat you as an equal. In public, there will be no question whom your King is. I will always be the leader of the Masters."

Moonstone bit her lip. He wondered what her lips would finally taste like.

She said: "I agree. Meet me in the First Class restroom in 5 minutes."

She strode off with a confident walk.

After she left her seat, he switched his computer to the internet and looked up the Avengers Charity gala. It advertised: "Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and a surprise mystery guest." Loki wondered if the surprise mystery guest would be Thor.

He clicked on Black Widow's biography and stared at her picture. He wondered if she had a similar "secret price of submission" the way Karla did.

Doubts stirred in his mind again about Karla and her intentions. Did she feel lust for him, or was she just manipulating him to suit her own ambitions? It wasn't good for his more fragile than he wanted to admit ego.

Still, he couldn't think of anything better for his ego than the promise of long overdue sex. He lingered on Natasha's photograph to help get his mood back, and strutted down the airplane aisle.

**Stark Tower **

It was no surprise to Natasha that Tony was hogging the spotlight as much as he could. He had an entourage of people present, including his friend Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes.

Tony shouted: "Everyone, get in formation for dress rehearsal. I'm going to make my dramatic entrance to center of the stage. Steve will be on my left, Natasha on my right, and Clint: It doesn't really matter since you're the least popular Avenger. Will you even know where to walk?"

Natasha said tersely: "We can walk up arm in arm. I'll guide him."

Clint muttered: "I wish Loki had made me deaf instead of blind, so I wouldn't have to listen to Tony constantly."

Steve asked: "How come you get the middle when I'm the group leader?"

Tony asked: "Do you want to be in the middle?"

Steve looked thoughtful: "No, I'm not interested in being a dancing monkey again."

Tony said: "You have got to learn the value of public relations."

Natasha's phone went off. She answered it, grateful to have an excuse to get away from Tony's chatter.

"It's Fury. Get everyone's attention. Emil Blonsky has been spotted outside of Harrisburg, PA. The reports aren't conclusive, but he's fighting with Banner. At least, they think it's Banner, but something's wrong."

**To be continued**

**Author's Note: ** Sorry if some people aren't happy with Loki and Moonstone finally doing the deed. Ah, Midgardian euphemisms.-)


	21. Chapter 21

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 21**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so again to all who read and review. It's much appreciated.

**Stark Tower**

The Avengers that were present gathered around Natasha. Steve was in full-military dress regalia, and the rest wore tuxedos. She noticed Tony's friend Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes hung back outside of the circle.

Tony looked the most concerned of anyone. He asked: "What's wrong with Bruce?"

Fury said through Natasha's speakerphone: "The facial recognition scans show it's Banner, but he's grey and smaller than normal. And reports say he's acting weird. He's not all: 'Hulk Smash…Leave Hulk alone.' He's talking normally between fighting with Blonsky, but two female reporters said he sexually harassed them."

Natasha thought back to the last times she had seen Bruce in his human or Hulked-out personas. This seemed out of character for him. But with the drugs and influence of Blonsky's hostile kidnapping, something in him could have finally snapped.

Steve frowned: "Is he being mind-controlled? Is Loki behind this?"

Fury said: "Reports are inconclusive."

Tony said: "That's military speak for 'I don't know.' Let's do something, dammit. Bruce is my best friend."

Rhodes said: "I thought I was your best friend for the past few decades."

Natasha sensed bitterness. She knew Rhodes had been on Fury's short list of potential Avengers, but he hadn't been called to join. She wondered if there was tension between James and Tony over that.

Tony stammered: "What I meant was, I'm Bruce's best friend. He barely has any friends because of the whole emotionally unstable turning into a green rage monster thing, so I'm his best friend by default."

Steve started pacing. "What if Loki is behind this? I would never leave one of our own behind or not lead a rescue mission if I could, but what if this is a plot to get us to cancel the fundraiser, or at least divide us again? The timing is suspicious."

Natasha frowned: "Loki claimed he didn't know anything about Blonsky and Banner, but he is the God of Lies."

Fury said: "Well someone has gotta do something mother$%ing fast. How about you, Rhodey?"

Natasha couldn't see Fury's face, but she could tell he was up to something. She noticed Clint's brow was furrowed.

Fury continued: "Yeah, you could put on the War Machine suit that Tony made and fly out there in no time. I'll send SHIELD backup. That way the fundraiser can go on without splitting up the core group, you look like a big hero, and who knows, it could be a rehearsal for you joining the Avengers next. We could always use new blood. If Tony is cool with that."

Everyone turned to look at Tony. He said: "I…er..I…why do I feel like I'm being manipul…Hell why not. You'll be great for this. And a best friend of mine is a best friend of yours. We'll be one big happy Friend-fest. Like Facebook! "

Rhodey's facial expressions changed from shock to awe to happiness: "OK then. I guess I'm reporting for duty. Where's my suit?"

Tony led Rhodey off.

Clint whispered in Natasha's ear: "Now I know who my replacement is. Fury didn't waste any time."

Natasha was incredulous. "What is going on with your insecurity? That latest machination of Fury's didn't have anything to do with you. You know he always has backup plans. This is a win-win. The most important thing is saving Bruce."

Clint asked: "So if Fury suddenly recruited another gorgeous woman to join the Avengers, you wouldn't be threatened by that at all?"

She thought about it. "It would depend on if she had a competing skill set with mine. It's getting late. The VIP reception is going to open soon and we have to make our appearances for the people that paid extra."

**Half an Hour Later, VIP Room **

Before he lost his sight, Clint was the guy who used to sit by the punchbowl during parties and scan the venue. He couldn't stare now, so he sat sullenly in a chair on the side of the room.

People milled past him and asked awkward questions: "_Hey, are you the archer guy…What happened to your eyes…Is Thor going to be here tonight…Can you introduce me to Tony Stark…If you can't see, how can you still be an Avenger_?"

He steeled his nerves by drinking more. As a sniper whose livelihood depended on keeping a steady hand he kept alcohol to a minimum to avoid getting any tremors or shakes, but now it wouldn't matter.

A man asked him: "Hey, are you Clint Barton, the guy with the arrows?"

"Yep, that's me."

"I'm Paul Ebersol. It's great to meet you. Thank you for your service, man. Whoa, what's wrong with your eyes?"

If Clint still had eyes, he would roll them. "I was attacked. I can't tell you who did it because it's classified information. Yes, it sucks to be me. Thank you for your pity. I'm sorry, that was rude."

Paul said: "You're not in a good mood, are you?"

"Sorry, it's nothing personal. I'm not any good at these high society charity things."

"Me neither. I'm only here because my company paid for the ticket. I'm supposed to be pitching our latest inventions to Tony Stark. Could you introduce me to him?"

Clint wished he could see the expressions on Paul's face and his body language to gauge his sincerity. He used to be a good judge of character, but now he was hopeless.

"Tony's doing something else now."

Paul said: "That's OK. Maybe I can pitch one of our latest inventions to you. I've been working on mechanical eyes that can replicate HD TV quality vision, better than 20-20, with built in zoom lenses and night vision. You'd be the perfect candidate for them."

Clint perked up: "I'm interested. What company do you work for?"

"We're called A.I.M.: Acquired Idea Mechanics. Maybe you've heard of us."

"I don't keep up with tech companies. How much will this cost me?"

"I'll have to run it by my bosses. It's experimental, so insurance probably won't cover it. I can try to get a good deal for you. Here's my card. Can you read it?"

Clint felt him put a business card in his front pocket. He wasn't sure if he was making a deal with a sleazy used car salesman, or buying a new lease on life.

He said: "Thanks. I'll have someone else read the number for me later. It's been nice meeting you Paul."

"You can call me 'Fixer.' Everyone else does. Have a good night."

Clint heard Fixer walk off. He put his hand over the card. Could this be his salvation? He contemplated what it would be like to get his sight back, but improved.

A woman asked him: "Hey there handsome? Can I get you a drink?"

Clint was caught off guard as he didn't hear her approach. Her feet must have been so light they may as well have been intangible.

He assumed she was beautiful by the confidence in her voice. Beautiful on the outside, but not necessarily the inside.

He said: "Thanks, but I have a girlfriend."

"Do you mean the red-head in the middle of the room surrounded by guys hanging off of her every word? I think you'd better set your sights elsewhere."

He winced. "Uh, thanks, but I don't take relationship advice from complete strangers."

"My name's Karla. Dr. Karla Sofen. I'm a certified sex therapist among other things. Advice from me is worth $400 an hour."

"I don't pay for sex…therapy."

She got quiet. He wondered if she had walked away, or if she was watching him.

Karla said: "There are 4 empty bottles on the table beside you. Isn't it time to take a bathroom break?"

Clint suddenly felt the urge to visit the men's room at her suggestion.

"Uh, yeah, but I need someone to walk me there."

She grabbed his hand: "I'll walk you there."

Red flags started going off in Clint's brain. Karla's behavior was too aggressive, and he didn't want Natasha to see him with another woman and get the wrong idea. But damn, he needed to use a restroom.

She led him around corners until the sounds of the party faded. It got quiet and he realized he had no idea where in Stark Tower they were.

A hand muzzled Clint's mouth shut, and he heard the worst voice possible. It was the voice from his nightmares.

Loki said: "Hello, Clint. Long time, never going to see again."

**To Be Continued**

**Author's notes: Other characters and corporations are from Marvel. I understand that Moonstone's not the most likeable of personalities (in the comics, she's worse, as in slept with half of the guys in the Dark Avengers for power-play reasons and killed her own mother worse), but somebody has to be even more potentially amoral than Loki.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 22**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so much again to all who read and review. This is my first fanfic to get over 100 reviews-)

**Stark Tower**

Natasha stared at her watch. She hadn't seen Clint in ages, and the main event was about to start.

Tony said,"It's show time. Let's go to the ballroom for our official introductions. Hey Natasha, where's Clint?"

She started following Tony. "I don't know. What have you heard from Rhodes?"

"He made it to Harrisburg with backup and they're fighting it out already. The problem is Bruce isn't cooperating. He's hitting Blonsky and anyone that gets too close to them. I should have gone instead. I could try to talk him down."

"Hulked out monsters don't exactly listen to logic. We should have cancelled this."

Steve joined them. "Would you rather disappoint our teammate who sounds shell-shocked, or all of the people we could help with the money raised for charity tonight? Either way it's lose-lose."

Tony looked at his IPhone. "Well, at least we raised twenty-three million and counting so far. Wait a second, this is weird. The numbers are going down. How can the numbers be going down?"

Natasha frowned. "Maybe there's something wrong with your phone or your internet connection."

Tony hit his phone a few times.

Natasha spotted Clint. She called out, "Clint! I'll come to you."

He turned to face her direction. She assumed he must have heard her voice, but it was uncanny how he seemed to be staring directly at her. Maybe his hearing was getting good enough to pinpoint people.

She took his hand and he grinned. "Thanks."

They joined the other Avengers and walked towards the ballroom. His hand felt slimmer and more fine-boned than usual, but when she glanced at him he looked the same as she remembered.

She heard the announcer boom, "And now introducing Captain America himself: Steve Rogers!"

The crowd went wild. Clint got closer to her. His hand caressed her shoulder and down the length of the skin on her arm. Then he grabbed her on her rear end.

She pulled away from him. "Excuse you. We're in public."

"I'm sorry; I can't see how beautiful you look. I figured I'd have to feel it. I was just having a bit of fun. Are we cool?"

"Have you been drinking?"

"How can you tell?"

She stared at him for a few moments, and manufactured an excuse for his behavior that going in front of a crowd was making him act strangely. She looked back to the red velvet curtain they needed to walk through.

Clint asked, "Will Thor be here?"

"We already went over this, weren't you paying attention? Fury tried to send an invite to Thor, but we never got a response. Rhodes was our back up as the mystery guest, but he got shipped out to stop Blonsky and Banner. Tony's going to introduce Pepper as his surprise guest and have her sing a few songs."

Clint arched his eyebrows. "Interesting, I guess I wasn't paying attention. I was distracted by being so close to you again."

He ran his fingers through a lock of her hair. Natasha's instincts started ringing alarm bells. She was about to do or say something when the announcer called their names.

Clint grabbed her hand and led her through the curtain. "Our audience awaits."

He pulled her out onto the stage. She performed a ballet curtsy to the sound of deafening applause. The spotlight felt like a blaze on her skin. She saw hundreds of eyes staring at her.

Clint dipped into a melodramatic bow. Was she standing next to Loki? Was that possible? What could she do? But, what if she was wrong? Were her nerves frayed from being put on display like this?

The announcer shouted, "And now, the man who made all of this possible! The billionaire, genius, philanthropist, and Avenger: Tony 'Iron Man' Stark!"

From the ceiling Tony jetted down to the center, covered in his Iron Man armor. The crowd went crazy. Tony held his arms up in triumph.

Natasha looked to Steve standing across the platform from them. He appeared to be fixated on the audience, so she couldn't get his attention.

Clint had a chilling grin on his face. It confirmed to her he was really Loki.

Natasha screamed out the truth, but a series of explosions drowned out her voice. She smelled smoke and C4, and flames burst out. Screams of fear from the audience replaced the earlier cries of adulation.

Steve shouted: "I knew something like this would happen! Protect the civilians!

Overhead sprinklers erupted, splashing everything with cold indoor rain. An alarm siren blared.

Loki pulled Natasha behind a speaker. Clint's face morphed into Loki's true form. She fought him, kicking and biting and trying to use every shred of martial arts she knew.

He hissed, "Stop struggling. I'm trying to protect you."

"From who?"

He smiled and looked to the ceiling. Tony had flown to the top of the room and was balancing on the jet packs on his feet. He glided over the top of the ballroom like a modern day god of gold and red technology.

Another figure rose to meet him. She was female and wearing a silver and gold costume. She flew with no jets but floated free of gravity like a ghost.

Tony's body language showed he was shocked, or at least transfixed. The woman's hands glowed, and then flashed with a blinding light that struck Tony. He was blown back into a chandelier. The chandelier shook, and then fell to the ground. It shattered into a thousand shards of crystal and light.

Loki said, "Protect you from that. Let's find a place that's more private."

He pulled her through the curtain and into the hallways. The building shook with more explosions.

Natasha felt enraged, against both Loki and herself for being impotent against him. He kicked open a door to a bedroom and locked it behind them. He threw her to the ground. Natasha remembered the gun in her garter and pulled it out, aiming it at him.

He laughed. "Is that supposed to frighten me? Earth firepower is useless against me."

"Try me."

He smirked and took a step forward. She fired at him point blank, with two quick shots in secession to his chest. Nothing happened.

He walked towards her again. She fired two more shots into his head. He grabbed the bullets from his forehead and flung them to the ground. She heard the metal clink.

Loki said, "Only two bullets left, my dear. And they're useless. Just give in to me."

"I only need one." She swung the gun to point at her own temple. "For myself if you even think of trying to touch me again."

Loki looked genuinely surprised. "Interesting."

He pulled up a chair and sat down on it. The grin on his lips had an "I can do this all night" vibe to them, but he made no move to approach her.

She sat on the edge of the bed behind her, but didn't relax. She wondered what she would do if he did press to see if she could really pull the trigger.

Another explosion rocked the building.

She said, "People are dying outside. Innocent people. Why are you in here with me?"

"Well, I'm the one who is making them die, so you can't expect me to feel guilty about that. And something I've learned from being able to become invisible and see who people really are under the facades they hide behind. No one is bloody innocent. There are no good men or bad men, or women. There are just varying degrees of self-interest. Or self-sacrifice. Are you really prepared to sacrifice yourself? To pull that trigger?"

She gulped. "That's what heroes do. We sacrifice ourselves for the greater good."

"The greater good is a lie. Don't sacrifice yourself to it. Don't sacrifice yourself period. Put the gun down."

Natasha wondered if deep down inside, Loki truly cared for her, in his twisted way. And then she remembered the man she cared for the most.

She asked, "Where is Clint?"

Loki's grin warped into a grimace.

**To Be Continued**


	23. Chapter 23

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 23**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so much again to all who read and review.

**Stark Tower Bedroom**

Loki frowned. He finally gets Natasha alone again and one of the first things she asks about is Barton.

Natasha asked, "Is Clint alive?"

Her voice was steady, but her eyes gave away her fear. She still held her gun to her own temple.

He said, "Does it really even matter at this point? Maybe he's dead. Maybe he's still alive. I could be lying, either way. What are you going to do, shoot yourself about it?"

He laughed. The sounds of his cackle were loud and he wondered for a brief moment if anyone could hear them in the halls. Another bomb went off and he heard screaming. He was probably safe for the time being. He loved the symphony of mischief he had created.

She took the gun away from her head, but still held it by her side on the bed. "Is this just a game to you? Just one sick, twisted mind-f #k?"

Loki closed in on her, wanting to see if she would flinch or possibly relax.

"Life is a mind game. Everything else is just boredom to me."

"Clint's life is not a game. My life is not a game. The people's whose lives are ending around us are not your F$%king toys to play with."

He liked seeing her riled up and angry. Wasn't anger just another form of passion?

Loki smirked. "Midgardian lives are worth nothing to me but entertainment. You're getting rather emotional my dear. Am I getting under your skin? Or are you just pretending to be unraveled, so I'll gloat and let slip my master plan?"

"Are you really this much of an asshole, or do you just want people to think you are? I don't think you have a master plan. I think you're just lashing out and causing disasters to get attention."

He frowned. "I' m misunderstood. And I have a plan, I just choose not to share it with you."

"Misunderstood? What, like all you need is a hug and someone to feel sorry for you and all of the damage you cause will be instantly forgiven?"

Loki felt a vein throb in his temple. His heartbeat accelerated. "You know nothing about what I've suffered in my life."

She snickered: "Spare me. Thor told me about your childhood. You were spoiled rotten, raised as a prince, and surrounded by wealth and power. But you're such a selfish, greedy little prick that wasn't good enough for you."

When she said Thor's name Loki dug his fingernails into his palm.

He hissed, "Thor was such a self-absorbed brat, how could he even notice my feelings? Thor can be just as arrogant if not more so than me, yet he gets a free pass on his behavior. I was always held to a different standard. It isn't fair."

"My boyfriend is blinded for life, and possibly death which you don't even have the decency to confirm, because you didn't get enough love in your childhood? Your problem isn't Thor or the Avengers. Your problem is you. You're your own worst enemy. And what the hell did you think would happen when you dragged me in here, after all of the disgusting things you've done? Did you think that I would fall in love with you? Did you think I would jump into bed with you now? What do you take me for?"

Loki felt his throat tighten. This wasn't going the way he had fantasized about in his head at all. The ugly reality was closing in. Perhaps he had become the God of Lies over the years because they were preferable to cutting truth.

For a few painful seconds he felt like he was going to cry, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction. He couldn't let her win. Whatever attraction Loki had felt for Natasha folded over itself into rage. How dare she speak to him like this?

"I take you for the spiteful, false-faced Midgardian harlot that you are! You dare defy me. You are so far beneath me we aren't even the same species!"

He lunged towards her. He expected for her to use the gun on him, but instead she fired with the bracelets on her arms. The stings on his skin were excruciating, as if the weapons had been augmented with extraterrestrial technology, but he pressed on through the pain.

She kicked him in one of those Far Eastern movements, but he pushed her back onto the bed. Loki enjoyed the look of terror on her face as he pinned her down. Her expression changed from terrified to stoic. He assumed she was acting.

He stared at her for a few moments, and ran his fingers through her hair for what he knew would be the last time. He was actually sad about that.

"You're such a breathtaking woman Natasha. It's a pity we have to remain on opposite sides. But if you won't share your beauty with me, no man will enjoy it again."

An ice knife formed in his right hand, and Natasha screamed.

**Stark Tower, 20 minutes earlier**

Clint struggled against the bindings on his wrists and gag in his mouth. Loki and Karla hadn't bothered with a blindfold, because it wasn't needed. Clint assumed by the smells of ammonia and soap that he was locked in a broom closet.

He heard explosions and screaming, which motivated him even more to escape. He would not give up. He could not give up.

Clint felt the metal edge of a shelf and tried sawing the bindings on his wrists with it. He felt them fraying, but they weren't fraying fast enough. He gave a muffled scream, but doubted anyone could hear him.

His wrists felt like they were being rubbed raw from the pressure, so he tried to visualize saving Natasha, or helping Steve, or Tony…well, Tony could help himself. Finally his bindings broke. He grabbed the gag off of his mouth and started screaming at full throttle.

His hands fumbled in the dark as he tried to find the door. He prayed it wasn't locked. With no sense of direction, he felt every part of the walls until he found the doorknob. Of course it was locked.

Clint kicked and yelled. He used to be able to pick locks, but not in his current state.

Clint heard the second most beautiful voice in the English language. "Clint, is that you?"

It was Steve Rogers. "I'm going to kick the door in. Back away from it!"

Wood smashed open and Clint could sense light on his face.

Clint thanked Steve and warned him, "Loki impersonated me. He's behind this. He went after Natasha, and he's got a female accomplice after Tony."

"I know, some woman with really big…nevermind…who can fly without rockets attacked him. How fast is technology advancing these days? He flew off to get her away from the guests and she followed him in the sky."

Clint coughed, "We have to help Natasha."

"Any idea where she could be in this fiasco?"

Clint thought of the Stark Tower layout and despaired. The place was so huge, where could he even start?

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

He recognized Natasha's voice and pointed to the sound. "Follow her voice."

**To Be Continued**

**Author's Note: I didn't really want to use the damsel in distress cliché, but the men in this story have been kicked around enough that I guess it's gender equal**


	24. Chapter 24

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 24**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so much again to all who read and review.

**Author's Warning: Intense violence coming up**

**Stark Tower Bedroom**

Natasha felt like her skin was being shredded apart. At first she thought Loki was going to rape her and braced herself for it, but when Loki pulled the knife out she was afraid he would blind her the way he did Clint.

She couldn't protect her head as he had pinned her hands down. She closed her eyes instinctively and felt the knife cut her face again and again. The blade was made of ice, so it burned and froze her at the same time.

The pain on Natasha's face was excruciating. She had been trained to resist the agony of torture, but torture was temporary. Loki made it obvious he wanted to inflict something permanent.

He hissed at her, "You dare defy me? No mortal defies me. You prefer Barton to me so much; I'll make you perfect for each other. I'll make you so repulsive no man will ever be caught in your spider-web again. With your looks and his blindness, you'll be a match made in my hell!"

She opened her eyes, afraid of seeing red. No blood dripped into her vision, but she could feel it trickling and tickling downwards.

Loki loomed over her, grinning in cruel triumph. She spat at him with the only defiance she could muster. The pleasure in his eyes twisted into anger and he slapped her across the face.

Disorientation scrambled her mind for a moment.

He said, "Stop fighting me. You're the one who's making me do this. If you'd just accept my will as king, none of this would be happening to you."

Natasha had locked her legs together in defense earlier, but she positioned herself so she could squeeze him under his rib cage. She had the most strength in her lower body and hoped if any part of her could make a dent in him it was this.

The door slammed open as someone kicked it in. Loki turned and his face was hit by a swirl of red and blue. He collapsed on top of her. The red and blue shield flew back and she saw Steve Rogers.

Clint stepped out from behind him and asked, "Is she OK?"

"I'm fine," she said, kicking Loki off of her.

He fell to the ground with a thud. He looked knocked out cold, and blood poured from his mouth.

Steve looked embarrassed. "Did Loki…did he…try to…um?"

Clint growled, "Did he rape you?"

She stammered, "No he didn't. He…something else that's almost as bad."

Clint asked, "Are you blind too?"

Natasha walked to a mirror. She was afraid to look, but forced herself to gaze at the damage. She wiped her face off. There were three huge cuts, with several smaller ones. The large ones formed a reverse "L" shape across her forehead and cheeks. The smaller ones were more chaotic.

She started to cry, but the salt from her tears stung the areas where she had been cut open.

"It's vanity," she sobbed. "It's just vanity. He ruined my face."

Clint stumbled towards her and she guided him to put his arm around her.

Steve said, "I'm calling in Thor. Now."

She said, "We already tried calling him for the fundraiser and no one got a response."

Steve said, "Send a message we have his brother. I think we'll get an answer faster."

**STARK TOWER BALLROOM, Several Hours Later**

Loki stirred awake and felt a throbbing pain in his head. He tried to stretch his arms, but they were bound to a chair. He blinked his eyes open. The light was dim, so it was hard to focus at first.

The light was dim because they were in a room where the chandelier had crashed to the floor. He was surrounded by cleanup crews and SHIELD agents. Loki surveyed the room.

Twenty feet away Tony Stark sat on a dais, surrounded by hangers-on. His red and gold uniform was covered in soot, as if he had survived an explosion.

Stark was apparently narrating his encounter with Moonstone. "So then the blonde chick throws an explosion from her hands at me, but I fly out of the way and…"

Natasha and Clint sat together talking earnestly. Her face was covered in stiches from his handiwork. She had a black left eye and swollen lip.

Loki's heart dropped in to his chest when he saw Rogers talking to Thor. Rogers looked apologetic and Thor looked very stern.

Loki stared at the man across from him. It was Agent O'Grady. O'Grady was ignoring him and playing a game on his IPhone.

Loki cleared his throat melodramatically.

O'Grady lifted his head and looked guilty and startled. He shouted, "He's awake! Loki's awake."

The other Avengers surrounded him. Loki got a sense of déjà vu from the last time he'd awoken after being beaten by the lot of them. The last time they all looked angry. This time, all he saw in their eyes was hatred. Not fear or love or respect, but sheer hatred.

Loki said to Thor, "Well brother, tis good to see you again."

Thor responded, "Don't call me brother. Not after what you've done. You've made a mess on three worlds."

Loki felt shame welling from deep within, but feigned nonchalance.

"Well, as God of Mischief, it's my job to make messes. What do you mean three?"

Thor said, "The Chitaurians sent an incursion looking for you. Their leader Thanos says you owe him a debt of torment for your failure to conquer Earth. He was drawn by Amora, the woman you duped into impersonating you. By the time he realized he had the wrong Asgardian, he had already killed Heimdall."

Loki grinned. "Heimdall is dead. What other good tidings do you bring me?"

Thor smacked him across the face. He had tears welling in his eyes. Loki could sense he was taking no pleasure at all in this.

Thor said, "This is not a joke. Your very perceived presence is dangerous. You're a threat to both Midgard and Asgard. This brings me to MY FATHER'S decree."

Thor took out a parchment with the Seal of Odin and read: "For the crimes you have committed against two realms, I hereby cast you out of Asgard. You shall no longer use the name "Odinson," nor are you welcome in my family. For your misuse and corruption of power, you are no longer the God of Mischief, or Lies, or even Evil. You are hereby the God of nothing. I declare you mortal, accursed to have the same weaknesses as the Midgardians you held yourself above. I cast you out! P.S., Your ex-mother Frigga says goodbye and that she loves you and wishes she could have seen the monster you were turning into in time so she could have steered you back on to the right path."

The parchment glowed, and a mist rose from it and enveloped Loki. He felt his body weaken, and when he exhaled, it was as if most of his soul was being sucked away.

Loki pleaded, "Please don't. Not this. Anything but this."

His voice sounded softer to his ears. His tone of arrogance dissipated.

Thor sighed and put his hand on Loki's shoulder. "I'm sorry it had to come to this. Perhaps this will do you some good. Becoming human did wonders for me. Good bye."

Thor held his hammer up to the sky.

"Wait." Loki said. "You're leaving me here, like this, with them?"

Thor locked his eyes on Loki. "I made a deal with Nicholas, Son of Fury over your custody. He needed to make amends for deceiving me about your whereabouts."

A flash of light hit Thor and he flew out of sight. Loki felt alone as the other Avengers closed in around him. He tried to feign strength.

Clint stood in front of him first. He balled his fist into his hand and smacked it. "So, how does it feel to have everything that's special about you taken away? Feeling a bit impotent now?"

Loki thought for a bit. "At least I can see."

Barton pulled his hand back to strike him, but Rogers caught it and warned, "Don't sink to his level."

Barton put his hands in his pockets, "For the record asshole, I'm getting my sight back. There's a place that can give me above average vision. If…when it works, I'll have even better sight than before. You've made me even stronger."

Loki condescended, "Good for you."

Natasha entered his sight. He took in the damage he had done to her face. Even though he had mauled her beauty, her strength still shone through. He felt an inkling of remorse.

Her voice was eerily stoic. "I'm getting my face back. You'd be surprised at what plastic surgery can do."

Loki pondered what to say to her. "Natasha, I'm sorry."

Her expression seemed wary. "Are you really?"

"I'm sorry I wasted so much time on you."

She smacked him hard. It hurt as much as when Thor had hit him earlier. Loki realized as long as he was mortal, he could be harmed as easily as any other human.

Natasha walked away arm-in-arm with Clint. Clint asked her, "How come you get to hit him and I don't?"

Stark approached him next. He downed a shot of scotch or brandy. They stared at each other for a few moments.

Loki asked, "What happened to Moonstone?"

Stark said, "Oh your girlfriend the blonde with the big tits? She's in the East River."

Stark looked away with a guilty expression etched in the lines of his face.

Loki widened his eyes. "You killed her?"

Stark hung his head down, refusing to meet Loki's eyes. "Yep, she's dead. Hey does anyone else here think it's insulting that the ultimate punishment on Asgard is to make someone into a regular human? Because I think that is really offensive. Bartender, make me another drink."

Stark walked away. Loki's instincts told him he was lying about something.

Rogers looked down at him. "If you weren't such a horrible man, I'd feel sorry for you."

"Don't pity me. What is going to happen to me now?"

Rogers smiled. "We'll have to give you a haircut first. Where you're going, you won't need quite so much hair."

"Where are you taking me?"

"It's not where we're taking you. It's where we're sending you."

**To Be Continued in the Epilogue**


	25. Chapter 25

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 25**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. Thank you so much again to all who read and review.

**Author's Note: To tie up the loose ends, I split the Epilogue into 2 parts**

**Epilogue Part 1**

**SHIELD Headquarters**

Clint faced Fury and handed him his resignation letter. It was something he never thought he'd live to see. The irony of the phrase "live to see" wasn't lost on Clint's imagination. He assumed he would be killed in the field, but never actually resign.

Fury's brow creased as he read the paper. Clint studied people's facial expressions more intently since his sight was restored, but he also had learned to listen and speak more. He didn't take any of his senses for granted.

Fury sighed, "I'm glad you got your eyes back, but I ain't happy you're leaving us. You're one of the best agents I've ever had."

Clint's throat tightened. He had to attempt to be macho and not get sentimental. "I love this place and I'd stay if I could, but the contract I signed with AIM states if my sight got restored I have to work for them full time for the next 3 years."

Fury frowned. "Yeah, they really offered you 40 acres and a mule, didn't they? There was a time when I was younger I could've seen myself making a deal like that to get my eye back, now I don't know."

"There's a difference between blindness and having one eye left."

"I ain't judging you Barton. But be careful with this company. I don't trust them."

Clint smiled, "You're just jealous they stole me away."

"It's more than that. I looked in to their records. They formed out of nowhere 3 years ago, and a lot of their financing is funneled through shell corporations and places like Switzerland and the Cayman Islands."

"So they cheat on their taxes. There may have a few skeletons in their closet, but they gave me my sight back. I can handle myself with a shady business."

"I know you can take care of yourself, I'm just saying watch your back, even if it's with the eyes they gave you. How is the new vision? Is it better than your old eyes?"

Fury didn't say it out loud, but he figured he meant, "Is it worth it?"

Clint clicked on the remote control that Fixer had made for him. The definition of the room around him sharpened and deepened. He clicked on the zoom feature and pinpointed the top of a file cabinet in the corner.

He said, "There's a dead cockroach on the top of that cabinet, and I don't think the cleaning service has dusted in 10 years."

Fury's face had a "not bad" expression.

They both stood up. Clint put out his hand to shake, but Fury bear-hugged him. "Don't be a stranger."

Clint was touched to see Fury acting remotely sentimental.

"I won't," Clint said. "I'm getting a place in Brooklyn near Steve. We'll be workout partners."

"You know no one ever really leaves SHIELD. Ask Natasha."

**STARK TOWER**

Natasha stared at her reflection in one of the many mirrors in Tony's penthouse. It had been destroyed so many times already she wondered why he bothered to remodel, let alone put so much breakable glass everywhere.

She ran her fingers along her face. The skin grafts were imperceptible from her real flesh. Other than being warned to stay out of the sun because the new skin wouldn't tan evenly, there was no difference between the false and the real tissue.

Fury had offered for her to be remodeled into someone else's face and go back in the field undercover, but she turned down the assignment. She was exhausted from the events of the past few months, and was fine with the simpler detail of "Stark Duty."

Tony had been on edge since the night of Loki's attacks, both physical and financial. All of the money raised for the charity event had disappeared, only to reappear in various Stark company holdings and Swiss bank accounts. It seemed like every other day Tony was calling a new press conference to clear his name.

Natasha rested her hand on the side of the mirror. She heard a click as she had accidentally clicked on a hidden button. The mirror swung open revealing a cache of CD-Roms and computer files.

Unable to resist her curiosity, she put on gloves and fingered through them. They were flight recordings from the Iron Man suit. She found the one dated the night of Loki's attack. She downloaded it to her own IPhone and closed the safe.

She checked to make sure Tony was preoccupied elsewhere. He was on the phone with his publicist, firing off rapid P.R. ideas.

Natasha locked herself in a bedroom. She realized it was the same one Loki had attacked her in. A flicker of painful memories danced through her mind, but she pushed them aside.

She started up a video recording of Tony's flight. The view was dark, because it was nightfall, but the screen was lit up with rapidly shifting computer graphics and charts. A British voice barked suggestions and information. She realized it was Tony's artificial intelligence program "Jarvis."

Natasha realized how incredibly intelligent Tony would have to be to keep up with the constant influx of data. She felt like she was almost inside of his mind for the first time, or a videogame simulation of it.

The lights of skyscrapers flew by. An electronic warning beeped for an incoming explosion, and the view shook rapidly as Tony rocketed away from it.

Tony shouted, "Why are you trying to kill me?"

Dr. Karla Sofen levitated into view. "Loki sent me. I'm part of his Masters of Evil. And yeah, I hate the name too."

She had a British accent, but it sounded fake, like an American impersonating a Brit. One of the first things Natasha had been instilled with in espionage schooling was to mimic accents correctly.

Natasha also wondered why Karla had bothered to mask herself, but given Clint her real name. She probably thought Clint wouldn't survive to tell anyone. Or perhaps she thought she wouldn't survive either.

Karla's hand glowed and she drew it back to aim. The screen jumped backwards as two flames flashed from Tony's hands. The flames went right through her as if she were a spirit.

Tony asked: "How the hell did you do that?"

"I can become intangible. And no, I'm not going to do the whole 'Villian explains how her powers work' bit, because I don't know how my powers work. Stop talking to me. I need to dehumanize you."

Another light flashed and exploded. Tony turned and flew. Skyscrapers whizzed by. The video picked up the East River of New York underneath them. She realized Tony was drawing her out to where civillians wouldn't be endangered.

Tony faced her again and hovered. "Can we negotiate this? Whatever Loki's paying you, I can pay more."

Karla smiled. "Is this how you really win fights? Tempting, but this isn't about money."

"What is this about?"

Karla flew closer to him. Even though Natasha knew Tony survived, she still felt her heart racing from the danger.

Karla said, "Look. I don't really want to murder you. But if I don't Loki will take my powers back and kill me, and I'm not suicidal."

"Why are you working for a guy who is actively threatening to kill you?"

Even though she was wearing a mask, Natasha could see the sadness on Karla's face as she admitted, "Because I'm too afraid not to work for him."

"Well…Screw Loki."

She giggled nervously. Natasha wondered if working with the criminally insane had driven Karla mad. "I already did. He's lousy in bed. Or the bathroom of an airplane."

The Jarvis computer muttered, "Too much information for me."

Natasha hated Loki even more. For all of the damage he had caused to Clint over seeming envy of her relationship with him, she wasn't even the only woman he was after.

Tony circled Karla, who levitated herself around to stay facing him.

Tony said, "Lady, you are in one messed up relationship with that guy. And I know guys in messed up relationships, because I used to be that guy. I used to be that selfish, megalomaniac, asshole. And the women always got hurt. Did you know Loki's been hitting on my co-worker Natasha Romanoff for the past month?"

Even though half of Karla's face was covered, Natasha could see she was frowning. Pain showed in her eyes. She seemed to be dropping lower and lower in the sky.

Karla said, "You're just trying to chip away at my mental stability."

"That's not my style. I just blow things up. Listen, we could both fly out of here before anyone else gets hurt."

"He'll find me if I fail."

Natasha wondered if Karla was playing up being a victim to ply Tony's sympathies.

Tony said, "How about we stage your death, so he doesn't try to follow you? I throw an explosion at you. You go intangible but pretend you're hit. You fall into the East River, where no one will be surprised if they never find a body. Of course if I do this, you'd better swear you never come after me or any of the other Avengers again. And no one knows what really happened but you and me."

Jarvis asked, "Is that such a wise idea, sir? This woman is dangerous."

Karla flew close enough to almost reach out and touch Tony. Natasha could see the conflicting emotions on her face.

Dr. Sofen said, "You really are a hero. Always trying to save everyone else, even your enemies. We have a deal. Thank you."

She smiled and flew backwards. "At the count of three, hit me with your best shot. One…two…three."

Tony flashed an explosion at her and she fell. The video traced her plummeting into the water. Tony hovered for a moment and then flew away.

Jarvis said, "I don't think that was rational. You should have taken her into custody."

Tony said, "How do I capture someone that can turn intangible? Besides, SHIELD or any other government would just reverse-engineer or experiment on her to death. I wanted to give her a second chance."

Jarvis said, "And is that because she's an attractive blonde with 38DD bosom implants?"

"You know me so well."

The view switched to Tony flying over Manhattan.

Natasha turned off the video. She stared at her phone and deleted the file. She remembered how with technology, no file could ever be permanently erased. Natasha dropped her phone on the ground and smashed it with her foot.

**To be Continued in Part 2 of the Epilogue, which will include Bruce and Loki's fates.**

**Author's Note: This is based on the movie-verse, so SHIELD doesn't know if AIM is a threat yet.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Spying is the Loneliest Profession Part 26**

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to the Avengers, Marvel and Disney do, so please don't sue. Takes place after the events of the movie. Natasha-Clint-Loki love-hate triangle. PG-13 for adult content, language and violence. A huge thank you to everyone who read and reviewed this story.

**Epilogue Part 2**

**Cape Canaveral Space Center**

Loki followed Nick Fury, flanked by guards. His hands and legs were bound in chains. The bright orange polyester made of some cursed Midgardian artificial fiber scratched at his skin.

Loki had escaped one prison to end up in another. He didn't know which punishment was more humiliating: being degraded to an impotent human, undergoing the humiliation of a full body cavity search, or having his head shaved.

Fury said, "If it were up to me, I'd have just put a bullet through your sorry-ass brain and been done with it."

"Well it apparently isn't up to you. Someone with a wiser head knows I'm too valuable to allow to perish."

Fury stared at him, "You will die someday. Maybe not today, but you'll sicken and age like the rest of us."

"I will never be one of you."

Loki tried to take refuge in words. His sharp tongue was just about the only weapon he had left. At least his intellect was intact.

Fury said, "You really need to eat some humble pie, especially with the company you're gonna be keeping."

They rode up an elevator to the top of a space shuttle. He gazed at the horizon below. Loki thought of making a last chance attempt to escape, but realized if he fell over the side or was hit by a stray bullet, it could be fatal. He was coming to terms with his new mortality.

The shuttle door opened and a man and a woman came out. The woman's head was covered by a helmet.

Fury greeted the man, "Colonel Rhodes, how's my newest Avenger doing? Great work in Pennsylvania."

Rhodes said, "Thanks for inviting me to join. This is Lieutenant Carol Danvers of the U.S. Air Force. She'll be the lead pilot and in charge of the installation."

She took her helmet off and shook Fury's hand.

The woman looked familiar. Loki almost gasped when he saw her face. He thought he was looking at Karla, or hallucinating from his guilty conscience over getting her killed. She had the same California-blonde hair, was roughly the same height, and had similar features.

Loki asked her, "Are you my new jailer?"

She sized him up and said, "No, jail is less than a year. It's going to take us at least that long to get to Pluto."

Loki stammered, "Pluto, wait. I thought that wasn't even a planet anymore. You can't send me there."

Fury said, "That's what the other guy said, too. Unfortunately, some people are just too dangerous to keep on Earth. Bye-bye mother #$%r."

Loki asked, "What other guy?"

He was rudely dragged to a holding cell and strapped down. The lights were bright in his section, but darkened in the cell next to him. The Air Force personnel left and Loki was abandoned.

He heard scraping in the cell nearby. He saw something moving and craned his neck to see.

Loki asked, "Is someone there?"

A giant green face popped into view, "ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! HULK REMEMBERS PUNY LOKI. HULK NO LIKE LOKI!"

Loki swallowed as the Hulk knocked against the barrier. He wanted to scream for help, but who would help him now? He tried not to panic. As foolish as Midgardians were, they had to have constructed the Hulk's cell strong enough to contain him. It wouldn't make sense for them to let the Hulk destroy a space shuttle.

Loki tried to think of what he could say to calm Hulk down. "Loki sorry he make Hulk mad. Loki wants Hulk to forgive him. What make Hulk not angry at Loki anymore?"

"LOKI MEAN MAN. LOKI SAY AND DO MEAN THINGS TO BANNER!"

"Hulk is right. Loki was a bad man. Loki no want to be bad anymore. Loki want to try to be good man. Loki wants to be friends with Hulk. Can we be friends? I will give you my…my…astronaut green Jell-O."

"HULK LIKE GREEN JELLO. HULK LIKE SQUISHY THINGS. ALL THINGS SQUISHY WHEN HULK SMASH THEM ENOUGH. HULK FORGIVES LOKI."

"Thank you."

Hulk stared at him. His giant green head started to shrink and his color faded to grey. His eyes went from dull but angry to cunning.

He spoke to Loki in a normal voice, "The other guy may fall for that, but I ain't so gullible."

Loki asked, "Are you Banner now?"

"No. Banner's still inside. All three of us are part of the same guy; it's just a question of which one of us is in charge. Call me Joe Fixit. Or Grey Hulk. It doesn't matter."

"Interesting how the U.S. government decided we're both too dangerous. I take it your so-called friends the Avengers have abandoned you, now that you've outlived your usefulness. People can be so fickle. One minute you're a champion. The next you're a pariah."

"I was always a pariah. Being a hero was too good to last."

Joe stared at him appraisingly. "They say you're human now."

"Apparently, being a god was too good to last."

"How the mighty have f #$%&g fallen."

Loki analyzed him. "You're rather crude. Are you Banner's dark side? The more mischievous part?"

Joe smiled. "Banner is a wimp. Hulk is a moron. I'm the fun one."

"What did the fun one do to Emil Blonsky?"

Joe frowned. His skin turned a normal flesh color, and he shrunk back down into Dr. Bruce Banner.

Banner said, "They say I killed him. I also killed 34 innocent people in the process. I don't blame them for sending me into space. Something needs to stop me."

Loki said, "You actually want to be on this ship."

"I want atonement."

Loki contemplated the word. He rested back against his seat. He thought of all of the havoc and misery he had unleashed. Could he ever truly atone? Did he want to stop being a bad man? Could he? He would have enough time to think about it on the trip to Pluto.

**The End**

**Author's Note: Thank you again to everyone who read this story. I hope people enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I do have two sequels planned, one to follow the effects of Hawkeye joining A.I.M. that will feature more of Iron Man, and another to follow Loki and Banner (and his 3 personalities).**

** When I wrote this, although I'm open to reviewer's suggestions, I did decide from the beginning that Natasha and Loki weren't going to end up together. This story is a deconstruction of what could happen to women who get involved with "the bad boy." **

** There was a comic story of Hulk's former friends and colleagues sending him out into space and…it didn't end well.**


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